Eden Hazard denies signing Israel petition
Chelsea playmaker, other soccer stars distance themselves from statement protesting UEFA's decision to stage European under-21 championship in Israel next year following recent Gaza operation
VIDEO - Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard has distanced himself from a petition which heavily criticized Israel over the Gaza conflict and claimed that allowing the Jewish state to host the 2013 European U21 Championship would be "seen as a reward for actions that are contrary to sporting values."
Video courtesy of jn1.tv
Hazard’s agent stated that the Belgian attacker "never speaks about his political opinions and he certainly never signed anything," when questioned about the controversial statement which was led by former Tottenham and West Ham striker Frederic Kanoute.
Former Chelsea icon Didier Drogba has also strongly denied any involvement in the declaration, which was reportedly signed by other high-profile players, including Abou Diaby of Arsenal and Demba Ba of Newcastle.
Following publication of the petition, 81 of Chelsea’s Jewish fans wrote to club chief executive Ron Gourlay and FA chairman David Bernstein outlining their concerns about the statement, seeking a full apology for the offense caused.
