FIFA concerned over detention’ of Sarsak

PARIS - Agence France-Presse

FIFA has hit out at the Israeli authorities for the illegal detention of Palestinian football players and called for their release.

Acting upon information received from several sources including the Palestine Football Association, and a FIFAPro media release, world football’s governing body said in a statement June 12 that several players had been detained illegally.

It added that the health of one in particular, Mahmoud Sarsak, was “very delicate” due to the effects of a 90-day hunger strike.

FIFA has called on the Israeli Football Association (IFA) to make contact with the relevant authorities in the country in a bid to secure the players’ release. The FIFA statement said: “In a letter to the Israel Football Association (IFA) FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter expressed today (Tuesday) grave concern and worry about the alleged illegal detention of Palestine football players. “Due to the aforementioned graveness of the situation, FIFA urgently calls on IFA to draw the attention of the Israeli competent authorities to the present matter, with the aim of ensuring the physical integrity of the players.”