FIFA to consider suspending Israel from International football
by FalastinNews Staff
The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) accepted on Monday
a the Palestinians' request to discuss the option of suspending Israel
from the international football organization during a FIFA congress set
to be held on May 29.
Palestine
has complained that Israel has continued to hamper its football
activities, saying the occupation imposes restrictions on the movement
of their athletes between the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West
Bank.
The
PFA has also cited curbs Israel places on the import into Palestinian
territories of sports equipment and on visits by foreign teams and
individuals.
Two
years ago, FIFA established a task force which included president Sepp
Blatter, the Israeli and Palestinian football chiefs and the heads of
the European and Asian football confederations to examine the
Palestinian complaints and to try and resolve them.
FIFA published an agenda Monday for its election congress on May 29, including a late proposal by Palestinian football officials to suspend Israel.
A
move to consider suspending Israel from world football will be put to
FIFA’s 209 member federations just before they elect their president
this month, the organization's statement said.
Palestinian
officials insist Israel's football federation should be punished for
restrictions imposed by its security forces which limit movement of
players, opposing teams and equipment.
"Footballers
have been targeted, shot and maimed, shot and killed, jailed and
tortured, stadiums bombed and players and fans have been refused
permission to travel to matches," head of the Palestinian football
association Jibril Rajoub said in an earlier meeting in Zurich with
Blatter
No comments:
Post a Comment