Gaza’s Sports Sector Faces Decimation Amid Ongoing Conflict

Khan Younis, Gaza – The ongoing conflict has tragically claimed many lives, including those dedicated to sports. One of the prominent victims was Mohammed Safi, a 27-year-old football coach and physical education teacher, who lost his life in an Israeli air strike on November 15, 2023.

Mohammed spent years developing young athletes and promoting the power of sports in his community. His father, Shaker Safi, recalls his son’s dream of representing Palestine on an international stage. “He believed sport could lift youth from despair,” Shaker said, holding a collection of Mohammed’s medals and photographs. “But war reached him before he could reach the world.”

Now, Mohammed’s wife, Nermeen, and their four children are grappling with the void left by his absence. They cling to his last football and coaching notes, which have become fragile keepsakes. “He was a man of dreams, not politics,” Nermeen told Al Jazeera, reflecting on the loss of her husband’s aspirations to become a referee and pursue higher education.

Since the war began, the Palestinian Olympic Committee reports that 582 athletes have been killed, including players, coaches, and administrators. For those still alive in Gaza, sporting dreams have been replaced by survival. Yousef Abu Shawarib, a goalkeeper for Rafah’s football club, fled with his family to Khan Younis Stadium, now converted into a shelter. “Now I wait here for water, not for kickoff,” Yousef lamented, expressing how the war has decimated not just infrastructure but hopes.

Head coach Shadi Abu Armanah of Palestine’s amputee football team noted the impact of the conflict on their training. With all facilities destroyed and most players displaced, he described their situation: “If the war ends today, we’ll still need years to bring back even a fraction of what was lost.” Shadi confirmed that the war’s toll extends beyond personal injuries; it threatens the very existence of Gaza’s sporting culture.

Asaad al-Majdalawi, vice president of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, detailed the significant damage inflicted on Gaza’s sports infrastructure. “It’s a comprehensive assault,” he asserted, citing that at least 270 sports facilities have been destroyed or damaged, along with vast material losses estimated in hundreds of millions of dollars.

Al-Majdalawi warned that this loss goes beyond physical structures; it will lead to long-term regression for athletes. “You lose more than muscle and skill – you lose purpose,” he emphasized. Despite challenges, there remains a glimmer of hope as athletic figures and families refuse to abandon the belief that sports can once again unite and inspire the Palestinian community.

As the conflict continues, the fate of Gaza’s sports sector remains uncertain, yet the enduring spirit of individuals like Shaker, Yousef, and Shadi reflects the resilience of a community yearning for peace and restoration through sport.