FA slammed over decision not to light up Wembley in Israel flag colours

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Football Association has been criticised by Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer for the “extremely disappointing” decision not to light up the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag before Friday’s friendly between England and Australia. “I am extremely disappointed by the FA’s decision not to light up the Wembley Stadium arch following last weekend’s horrific terrorist attacks in Israel, and have made my views clear to the FA,” Frazer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. There will also be a period of silence ahead of kick-off at the weekend’s matches in the Women’s Super League, Women’s Championship and Women’s National League to “remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine.” The England and Wales Cricket Board released a statement on Thursday which read: “We deplore the appalling loss of innocent life following recent events in Israel and Palestine. We should now all unify in our hope for peace.” England cricketer Moeen Ali has deleted an Instagram post featuring the Palestinian flag and a quote from Malcolm X. Moeen then put up a new post, without the flag but containing the same Malcolm X quote: “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” The International Olympic Committee said its executive board members had “expressed their very strong feelings over these tragic events in the recent days” at the start of Thursday’s meeting in Mumbai and “express their deepest sympathy with the innocent victims of this terrible violence”.