FIFA starts disciplinary proceedings against Palestinian football chief

World
Europe

Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has begun disciplinary proceedings against Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Association for inciting the country's football fans to burn jersey of Argentina's super star Lionel Messi, according to Sky Sports on Friday.

Argentina had planned a warm-up game with Israel before the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The games was originally supposed to happen in Haifa but moved to the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, as required by Israel. Palestine opposed the change of location out of worries that the stadium was built in a place which used to be a Palestinian village and the game may cause some trouble.

A poster erected on a main street in the West Bank town of Hebron next to a portrait of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R), denouncing the upcoming friendly football match between Argentina and Israel and calling Argentina's star Lionel Messi (portrait) to boycott the match /VCG Photo

As expected, the change of location infuriated Palestinians as some of the country's football fans even went to Argentina's training campus to protest. As Palestine's football chief, Jibril Rajoub requested that Messi should not play in this game and asked Palestinian fans to burn Messi's jerseys to bring pressure to Argentina.

Fans replied to Rajoub's call by occupying land, setting up banners, putting jerseys and posters on fire and even showing blood-soaked jerseys outside Argentina's training campus. The last move was terrifying enough for Argentina who cancelled their training lesson that day.

Pro-Palestine activists hold placards reading in Spanish "Palestine says thanks" and "Argentina doesn't go!, Thanks" as they gather to celebrate the cancellation of a scheduled friendly football match between Israel and Argentina in Jerusalem ahead of the World Cup 2018 in Russia, outside of the Barcelona hotel where the Argentinian squad is staying on June 6, 2018 in Barcelona. /VCG Photo

In the end, out of security concerns for the players, Argentina announced that the warm-up game with Israel was cancelled. The decision made Israel fly into a fury. The country's football association reportedly went to FIFA to demand that Argentina be removed from the 2018 World Cup.

FIFA has not announced when its disciplinary committee will look at the case.