FIFA fines Scotland for displaying Palestinian flag, booing Israeli national anthem at soccer match

FIFA has, on Thursday, fined the Scottish Football Association (SFA) 10,000 Swiss Francs, after Scotland fans booed the Israeli national anthem before a match between the two in October and displayed the flag of Palestine.
Last October, a section of Scottish fans who arrived at Hampden Park, Glasgow to watch their nation play the Israeli national team in a crucial World Cup qualifying match, booed The Israeli national anthem ‘HaTikvah.’
It is considered a tradition for the national anthems of nations to be played before the start of international soccer matches.
However, Scottish fans rejected their nation’s match with Israel, calling it an apartheid state.
Pro-Palestine activists were also seen standing among the crowds while holding the flag of Palestine, as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Many pro-Palestine demonstrators also took part that day in a protest outside Hampden in the rain ahead of the match, waving Palestine flags and holding up banners that read: “Zionism Is Racism” and “Don’t Play Ball With Israeli Apartheid.”
The demonstration was called for by Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), who said “Israel is waging a war against Palestinian social life, including sports.”
The group also said that Israeli occupation snipers “have killed many promising young players as part of its ongoing shoot-to-maim and shoot-to-kill policy against demonstrators.”
They also added, “Palestinian football is not exempt from Israel’s brutal occupation apartheid regime.”
The official report released by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee claimed the SFA violated articles 11 and 16 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
They were officially fined for a “disturbance during national anthems and use of objects (flags) to transmit a message that is not appropriate for a sports event.”