Palestinian rights advocates are collecting charitable donations in the name of American football player Aziz al-Shayer, who was fined by the National Football League for displaying an anti-genocide message on his nose tape.
Nimrah Riaz, founder of Sirat Strategies, a Muslim-focused sports consulting firm, said people in the community wanted to turn the $11,593 fine against the Houston Texans linebacker into something positive.
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Al-Shayir wore nose tape under the slogan “Stop the Genocide” during a pre-game TV interview last week, without mentioning the specific conflict. But the message about it was widely understood Atrocities in Gaza and Sudan.
“If Aziz is going to use his platform to stand up for humanity and it’s going to have a financial impact, instead of ending up in punishment at that point, the community chooses to redirect it, so we can all raise funds for Palestine and Sudan together for those who really need it,” Riaz told Al Jazeera.
Former NFL player Hussain Abdullah donated $11,593 to the charity Human Development Fund (HDF) in response to the fine. A separate, ongoing fundraiser for Riyaz on the platform Good launch They also aim to donate an equal amount to HDF.
Despite the vagueness of Al-Shayer’s note, ESPN reported that the league fined the player for violating its uniform rules.
Leading rights groups and UN investigators have accused Israel of a Genocide in GazaAttempts to exterminate the Palestinian people in whole or in part.
Warning against the anti-genocide message
Al-Shair displayed a similar note on his face on the sidelines of Sunday’s second game — against the New England Patriots — but did not wear it during the game.
The player later said he was threatened with removal from the game if he kept the message.
The linebacker said he accepted the fine but did not understand the warning not to text during the game.
Al-Shayer underlined that unsportsmanlike messages displayed by other players only result in financial penalties.
“I knew it was a penalty. I understood what I was doing,” he told reporters in the dressing room. “But I was told that if I put it in the game, I would be kicked out of the game. So, I think that was the part I was confused about.”
It is not clear who gave this warning to Al-Shayir. The Houston Texans team did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment by the time of publication.
Most professional sports leagues in the world try to present themselves as such Politically neutralCritics say athletes who speak out for Palestinian rights in the US and the West are particularly vilified and punished.
In 2023, NFL teams observed a pregame silence in honor of the Israelis killed in the October 7 attack by Hamas — a gesture that ignored the suffering in Gaza. Palestinian death toll The fierce Israeli response was mounting.
Some teams also issued individual statements in support of Israel at the time.
Several NFL team owners are outspoken supporters of Israel – most notably Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, a major donor. A pro-Israel groupWith the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The NFL emerged as a flashpoint in 2016 after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the US national anthem to protest racism and police brutality in America.
Critics of the move accused Kaepernick of disrespecting national symbols and called on the league to intervene. But the player’s supporters praised him for his willingness to stand up against injustice despite the potential impact on his career.
Kaepernick was not signed by any team after becoming a free agent at the end of that season.
After Kaepernick was ejected, other players continued their protest by kneeling.
In 2018, the NFL issued a policy requiring players to stand during the national anthem or wait in the locker room after criticism and the president called for a boycott. Donald Trump and his associates.
‘implicit expectations’
The NFL allows limited advocacy through the “My Cause My Cleats” campaign — an initiative that allows players to display messages on their shoes.
Al-Shair used the event to collect donations for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) with shoes emblazoned with the word “free” and data about atrocities in Gaza.
But his recent nose tape message has elevated his activism at a time when Palestinians in Gaza are suffering almost daily. Israeli attacks Despite a Trump-brokered “ceasefire,” shelters in the bitter cold.
Riaz said Muslim athletes face “high consequences” for speaking out For PalestineSo there is an “unspoken expectation” that they should remain silent on the issue.
She added that Muslim Americans in Texas and beyond are responding positively to Al-Shayer’s message and are reaching out to him for speaking engagements. “The community loves it,” Riaz told Al Jazeera.
Earlier this week, the Houston chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the NFL should not fine a player for denying the massacre.
“Aziz al-Shayer’s message was rooted in basic human decency and concern for innocent lives. It should not be controversial, it should not be subject to punishment,” CAIR-Houston director Imran Ghani said in a statement.
But al-Shayer’s note angered many pro-Israel advocates, with some calling for him to be fined and suspended.
“If ‘Stop the Genocide’ is anti-Israel, what does that say about Israelis?” A social media user commented In a viral comment on X.