Waseem Haq, a member of the English Football Association board, announced his resignation today, Thursday, after a post comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler amid the war in Gaza. Haq was suspended from his duties due to his post on the platform "X," which he later deleted and apologized for. The English Football Association initiated an investigation into the matter.
Haq wrote on "X": "I resigned this morning from the Football Association. I reiterate my apology to the Jewish community." He added, "This war has caused thousands of deaths, and many of us are suffering from frustration and severe distress. I hope that football will play a future role in easing tensions between communities."
He shared his resignation letter, stating: "My comment was a direct criticism of a politician and not about race or religious group. In expressing these feelings, I chose completely the wrong words, which affected my leadership position in the Football Association." He mentioned his intention to "personally and directly engage with members of the Jewish community for dialogue and understanding," and offered to assist the FA in developing "a systematic process for community reconciliation in the future."
Haq joined the FA board in 2019 as a representative of the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic community, and he was removed from a similar role in the Tennis Association last week.
