By Andrew Warshaw
October 3 – Kosovan football officials have reacted with dismay at FIFA’s continual foot-dragging over whether to let them play international matches – and at UEFA’s decision to ignore their case while giving Gibraltar partial status.
Ever since backtracking after initially giving Kosovo hope back in May, FIFA has continually postponed taking a consensus on the issue, again delaying a decision on “modalities” when its Executive Committee met last week.
Foreign-based Kosovan players signed a petition urging FIFA to take a stand but no further discussions will now take place until December at the earliest.
To make matters worse for Kosovo, on Monday (October 1) UEFA reluctantly approved provisional membership for tiny Gibraltar after having its hand forced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ruled that Gibraltar’s case had to be considered.
This prompted Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) President Fadil Vokrri (pictured below) to issue a sharp rebuke.
“We do not understand the double standard shown by UEFA between the situation of Kosovo and the situation of Gibraltar, a non-independent territory recognised by no one,” he said.
“Kosovo is recognised by 91 countries in the world, 22 of the 27 European Union [EU] member states, the IMF [International Monetary Fund] and the World Bank, with football developed in a large scale and players from Kosovo playing for a lot of national teams.”
This, he said, was in stark contrast to the British-run colony of Gibraltar.
“We are surprised by this difference of treatment in light of the obstruction we have been facing for years now,” Vokrri said.
“Maybe the method adopted by the Gibraltar FA – going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport – should have been adopted by us.
“We chose a realistic approach with sensible solutions based on football facts and we have not been heard.”
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