Tag Archive for FIFA

| October 4, 2019
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Saudi football team to play against Palestinian Authority in October

Despite the Kingdom’s need to receive entry visas from Israel for the team members, the Saudi national football team is scheduled to play against the PA team in Samaria on October 15.

By AFP

 

Saudi Arabia’s national soccer team will play against the Palestinian Authority’s team in Samaria on October 15, the kingdom’s sports authority said Friday.

The game, due to take place in the city of Ramallah, would mark a change in policy for the Gulf state, which has previously played matches against the Palestinian Authority team in third countries.

“At the request of the brothers in the Palestinian federation, the Saudi Football Federation has agreed to play the team’s first match in the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup against Palestine… on October 15… in Ramallah,” the Saudi Sports Authority said on Twitter. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| September 24, 2019
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FIFA breaks on rules by excluding only Israelis from upcoming World Cup

Although the FIFA Ethics Code prohibits host countries from discriminating against fans based on their nationality, the advocacy group StandWithUs petitioned the Int’l Football Association as to why Israel was not on the list of countries that require a visa to attend the 2022 World Cup.

By Dan Lavie

 

The Israel advocacy group StandWithUs called on the international soccer governing FIFA to ensure Israelis would be allowed to visit Qatar during the World Cup tournament in 2022.

The organization made the plea after it was revealed that Israel was not included in the online list of countries from which foreigners can obtain an entry visa to the Arab state for the purpose of attending the soccer competition. Continue Reading »

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: , , , , ,
| October 3, 2018
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Following FIFA ban, Israel seeks ban of Palestinian from Olympic Committee

Convicted Palestinian terrorist Jibril Rajoub, whose currently the Palestinian Sports Minister, was fined & banned in August from FIFA games after inciting violence & hatred against int’l football [soccer] superstar Lionel Messi, so now Israel is calling on the IOC to consider adopting a similar position.

By LAHAV HARKOV

 

Palestinian Olympic Committee chairman and convicted terrorist Jibril Rajoub should be suspended from the International Olympic Committee for inciting violence, Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan wrote in a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach on Tuesday.

“Sports should be used to build bridges and spread peace between nations, and should not be used to promote divisiveness and racism,” Erdan wrote. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| November 8, 2017
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Having lost FIFA verdict, Palestinian charges Football Association in Swiss Court

Preferring not to intervene in Palestinian drama, FIFA dropped age-old Palestinian Football Association complaints on political grounds, so now PFA charges FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

 

A Palestinian challenge over the way FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, handled its complaints against the Israeli Football Association will be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, this month.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino – Photo: Doha Stadium Plus Qatar/Wikimedia

The court said its panel will hear the Palestine Football Association’s appeal on Nov. 27. A verdict is expected weeks later. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| October 28, 2017
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FIFA rejects Palestinian petition to sanction Israel over ‘settlement clubs’

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the int’l soccer federation will not ban the 6 Israeli teams from Judea & Samaria, as the Palestine Football Association demanded.
 – FIFA statement regarding the Palestinian suit, “The matter is declared closed and will not be the subject of any further discussion.” 

By Elad Benari

 

FIFA, the governing body of global soccer, will not intervene in the impasse between the Israeli and Palestinian Arab football authorities and considers the matter closed, its president Gianni Infantino said on Friday, according to Reuters.

The Palestine Football Association (PFA) which is headed by Jibril Rajoub, along with groups such as Human Rights Watch, has long attempted to force FIFA ban six Israeli teams in Judea and Samaria, claiming that their presence there is in breach of FIFA statutes, which forbids another member association playing on another territory without permission. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 26, 2017
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Palestinians forcing FIFA to court to outlaw Israeli football clubs

 

The Jewish state accuses the Palestine Football Association of exploiting FIFA to establish de facto permanent borders, without entering any direct peace-seeking negotiations with Israel.

By AFP

 

The Palestine Football Association (PFA) appealed to the world’s top sports court on Tuesday, seeking to force FIFA to rule on the future of Israeli clubs playing in the West Bank.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino – Photo: Doha Stadium Plus Qatar/Wikimedia

The PFA argues that the presence of six Israeli clubs on its territory is in breach of FIFA statutes, which forbids another member association playing on another territory without permission.

The Palestinians had called for a resolution stating that as a full FIFA member the PFA has the right to block Israeli teams from playing on its land. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| May 12, 2017
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Palestinians outraged FIFA Congress tabled anti-Israeli decision

 

For refusing to rule against Israel, FIFA Congress came under attack by Palestinian football chief Jibril Rajoub, who told  delegates, ‘We are looking for full recognition of our right that no Israeli clubs play in our territory.’

By i24NEWS – AFP

 

The Palestinian Football Association on Thursday accused FIFA of succumbing to “political pressure” following its decision to postpone a ruling on the contentious issue of Israeli clubs playing in the West Bank.

“We are disappointed that FIFA has decided to allow political pressure to win over the FIFA statutes,” it says in a statement, after FIFA’s annual Congress voted to back — by a majority of 73 to 27 percent — a proposal that pushed football’s governing body to report by March 2018. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| June 6, 2015
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Rajoub now detested by Arab nations after FIFA backstep is stuck in Ramallah

Former terrorist & heroic symbol of Palestinian resistance, Rajoub is now in Ramallah, deemed persona non grata, and unable to travel to Jordan, Dubai as well as Israel.

By Smadar Perry

 

Up until last Friday morning, Jibril Rajoub was still viewed as a symbol of the Palestinians’ struggle against Israel. Rajoub, the chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, arrived then at the FIFA congress in Switzerland with the objective of getting Israel booted out of all international soccer tournaments and competitions, and only a last-minute and behind-the-scenes deal prevented a vote on the matter. Today, Rajoub finds himself under attack from all sides. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| May 29, 2015
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Palestinians Drops Demand to Ban Israel from FIFA

FIFA 2015 Congress infected by violent politics as pro-Palestinians storm hall, throw red cards at Israeli delegation as well as reports of bomb scare.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub is submitting an amendment to the PFA’s proposal to ban Israel from FIFA, minutes ahead of the vote itself.

FIFA President addresses 2015 Congress

The vote was not expected to reach the required majority.

Rajoub said he wanted to find a “responsible solution” to the issue, as opposed to “scoring points.”

Insisting he thinks “it is right” to ban Israel, Rajoub added that “a lot of colleagues” had expressed “how painful it is for them to hear, in this (football) family, to hear the issue of suspension.”

Continue Reading »
Category: The Diaspora | Tags: ,
| May 20, 2015
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FIFA Chief Tells Netanyahu He Opposes Palestinian Bid to Oust Israel From Football Association

FIFA president Blatter meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem saying, “Football has the power to construct bridges. Football shall unite people & not divide people.”
•Palestinian official responded, claiming Israel ‘leading world by nose because of Holocaust.’

By David Ben Shimol

 

During a visit to Israel on Tuesday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter voiced his objections to an upcoming vote initiated by the Palestinian Football Association to suspend the Israeli FA from participation in international soccer competitions.

Eini, Netanyahu, Blatter, and Regev (Photo: GPO)
Eini, Netanyahu, Blatter, and Regev (Photo: GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warmly welcomed Blatter to Israel when the two met in Jerusalem. “I want to praise you for opposing the politicizing of sport.
Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| May 10, 2015
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Palestinians refuse to drop petition to suspend Israel from FIFA

FIFA President to meet with PM Netanyahu over Palestinian bid to eject Israel from football association.

By i24news

 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter will travel to the Middle East to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Palestinian officials in a bid to head off a Palestinian bid to expel Israel from the sport’s governing body, FIFA said in a statement Sunday.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter is targeting a fifth term in office – Photo: Michael Buholzer/AFP

However, the Palestine FA (PFA) will not drop its proposal for a vote at the FIFA Congress to suspend Israel from international football although it will continue to pursue dialogue, its president Jibril Rajoub told Reuters on Sunday. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| April 8, 2015
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FIFA chief asks Palestinians to withdraw Israel complaint

Speaking to CAF Congress in Cairo, FIFA head Blatter calls on Palestine Football Association to cancel its attempt to get Israel suspended from world soccer’s governing body, saying, “A suspension of any member affects badly the whole organization.”

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he will attempt to persuade the Palestine Football Association to withdraw a bid to get Israel suspended from world soccer’s governing body.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter after a press conference in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday – Photo: AP

Blatter said he was to meet with the association’s president Jibril Rajoub in Cairo later on Tuesday in an effort to convince him not to place a resolution on a possible Israeli suspension on the agenda for the FIFA Congress in Zurich next month.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| September 4, 2013
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FIFA head hosts Palestine-Israel soccer talks with goal to play

Chief of int’l soccer body, Sepp Blatter, suggests Israel & Palestine play a game of football together.

By

 

 

ZURICH — FIFA President Sepp Blatter hopes to have a solution by year’s end to the problem of Israeli security restrictions affecting Palestinian football, after holding talks with the two sides on Tuesday.

Sepp Blatter

FIFA President Sepp Blatter in Zurich, at a press conference following the meeting between Israeli and Palestinian soccer authorities. – Photo: Reuters

After hosting the leaders of the Israeli and Palestinian football associations, Blatter said they agreed to send delegates to a follow-up meeting later in September. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| July 10, 2013
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Netanyahu shows FIFA President how Hamas shot rockets from soccer fields

 

View video clip of Prime Minister Netanyahu showing FIFA President Sepp Blatter enlarged aerial photographs of FIFA built soccer stadium in the Gaza Strip and how it was used by Hamas to launch rockets at Israeli cities.

By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

FIFA President Sepp Blatter says Israel has promised to help solve one of Palestinian soccer’s biggest problems: Traveling into and out of the Palestinian territories.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter at the press conference in Jerusalem, Tuesday – Photo: AP

After meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Blatter said the Palestinian travel problem was “of national interest” to Israel, and that Netanyahu had agreed to help solve it.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 1, 2013
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FIFA not bending to Palestinian pressure to sanction Israel

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter will meet with gov’t officials in Jerusalem & members of the IFA to try and come up with a compromise arrangement with the Palestinian players.

By Moshe Boker and Reuters

 

Anyone in Israel concerned that FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, was about to acquiesce to the demands of the Palestinian soccer federation and impose sanctions against Israel, can rest easy.

Jibril Rajoub - AFP - April 14, 2011

Former French soccer star Lilian Thuram, left, watches as Palestinian Football Association chairman Jibril Rajoub kicks the ball during the inauguration of the new stadium Thursday. – Photo: AFP

On Friday afternoon, Israel Football Association chairman Avi Luzon managed to convince FIFA’s all-powerful president, Sepp Blatter, to seek a less aggressive solution to the long-running problem of limited freedom of movement for Palestinian players in Gaza and the West Bank. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
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