Athletic Club will stage a special pre-match ceremony in solidarity with Palestine before their La Liga game against Mallorca on Saturday.
– ADEVERTISEMENT –
The Basque side confirmed San Mamés will display the message “Athletic Palestinaren alde. Stop genozidioa” (“Athletic stands with Palestine. Stop the genocide”) on its scoreboards ahead of kick-off. Fans will also be asked to give a standing ovation to guests invited onto the pitch.
Those honoured include Honey Thaljieh, the former captain of the Palestinian women’s national team, eleven Palestinian refugees living in the Basque Country, and representatives from UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
The ceremony forms part of Athletic’s wider collaboration with UNRWA Euskadi, launched in October, which supports around 8,000 vulnerable Palestinian refugee children in Syria by providing physical education classes across 16 schools.
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After the off-field tribute, attention will turn back to the pitch. Athletic, sitting 10th in La Liga, face a Mallorca side currently 19th and fighting relegation.