Reebok has become the latest global sportswear brand to sever ties with the Israel Football Association (IFA), following mounting international boycott campaigns and Israel’s deepening isolation over its ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The decision comes after Adidas, PUMA, and Italian brand Erreà all dropped sponsorships of the IFA in recent years under pressure from the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In Reebok’s case, the withdrawal came in record time—barely a month after the partnership was announced—mirroring Erreà’s swift exit before even delivering jerseys.

The development follows Israel’s abysmal ranking in the newly released Nations Brand Index, where it placed last out of 50 countries, reflecting the rapid erosion of its global image amid livestreamed atrocities in Gaza.

Reebok’s brief complicity was immediately met with calls to boycott the company, as campaigners highlighted Israel’s relentless assault on Palestinian life and sports. Since October 2023, Israel’s war has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, including at least 807 athletes and footballers, and destroyed or damaged all sports facilities in Gaza—stadiums, gyms, and clubs—many of which were repurposed by Israel as detention and torture sites.

The IFA has long faced accusations of direct complicity in Israel’s apartheid regime and occupation. Its official leagues include teams based in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. The association has also openly aligned itself with Israel’s military, dedicating national team matches to soldiers involved in the Gaza war and sending care packages to troops carrying out atrocities.

“This is people power at its best,” BDS campaigners said, hailing Reebok’s withdrawal as a victory for grassroots mobilization. “The IFA has become so toxic it cannot find a sponsor.”

The legal weight of recent international rulings adds further pressure on companies. In January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza. A UN commission has since confirmed that genocide is indeed underway. Then, in July 2024, the ICJ declared Israel’s occupation of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem illegal and an act of apartheid. Both rulings underscore that states and corporations have an obligation not to contribute to Israel’s crimes.

With Reebok now out, the IFA finds itself further isolated, emblematic of the growing international consensus that complicity with Israel’s apartheid and genocide is untenable. (ILKHA)