Israel Matzav: Will Israel be suspended from FIFA?

Friday, May 29, 2015

Will Israel be suspended from FIFA?

Israeli official: We are close to a compromise that will stop the vote on the suspension of Israel from FIFA
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) May 29, 2015

I'm going to guess that many of my US readers never heard of FIFA, the international soccer federation several of whose officials were indicted on bribery charges in the US earlier this week. Here in Israel, we are all too familiar with them.

'Palestinian' terrorist and soccer federation chairman Jibril Rajoub is seeking to have Israel expelled from FIFA, which would bar the world's only Jewish state from international soccer competitions like the World Cup. As you can see from the tweet above, the Israeli government believes it's on the verge of a 'compromise' (can't wait to hear what that would entail) that would avert the expulsion.

But not everyone believes that a compromise is in the offing.

Per @peterbeaumont, Pal officials deny they've reached a deal to avert vote on suspension of Israel from #Fifa
— Jodi Rudoren (@rudoren) May 29, 2015

If it comes to a vote, it probably goes without saying that Israel will not get a fair hearing.

Former FIFA vice president Jack Warner, arrested in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday on bribery charges as part of a massive bust of top soccer officials, previously blamed “Zionism” for a bribery scandal which saw him forced from the world soccer body in 2011.

Warner surrendered to authorities late Wednesday in his native Trinidad and Tobago after his name appeared on a list of nine current or former FIFA officials and five business executives who “abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks,” according to US Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Warner resigned from FIFA in 2011 after the organization opened an ethics investigation into the vice president for receiving cash “gifts” from former Asian Football Confederation chief Mohammed Bin Hammam, ahead of the organization’s elections for president.

After FIFA handed Qatar’s Bin Hammam a lifetime ban from the soccer governing body for his role in the affair, Warner lashed out at the soccer body for what he said were various shortcomings, and vowed to bring down FIFA head Sepp Blatter.

“I will talk about the racism that is within FIFA. I will talk about the levels of religious discrimination which I sought to correct. I will talk about the Zionism, which probably is the most important reason why this acrid attack on Bin Hammam and me was mounted,” Warner wrote at the time in a 1,400 word letter to the Trinidad Guardian.

And if you followed the links above, you already know that Blatter isn't exactly fair to Israel either.

Meanwhile, FIFA and the media continue to ignore the real story to which they ought to be paying attention: The 'Palestinian Authority's use of sports to promote terrorism rather than peace.

And the saga continues:

Israel Radio reports that many #FIFA delegation heads say no vote, and if vote, won't pass. Stay tuned.
— Jodi Rudoren (@rudoren) May 29, 2015

@rudoren in other there is no deal .... neither side backing down on the settlement teams and Fifa buying time ....
— peter beaumont (@petersbeaumont) May 29, 2015

Labels: anti-Semitism, FIFA, Gaza, Jibril Rajoub, Qatar, Russia, soccer