By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – The Jordanian Royal Court has stepped into an increasingly distasteful FIFA presidential spat by denouncing alleged attempts to spread false rumours about the campaign being led by Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, specifically involving his Jewish chief spin doctor.
Earlier this week, the Jewish Chronicle newspaper was one of a number of publications reporting that Shimon Cohen, whose company is representing Prince Ali, had been mistakenly identified as a former Israeli footballer.
The accusation came in a number of tweets from Mohammed Al Mudaweb, who works for the Bahraini FA, home association of Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the election front runner and Prince Ali’s Asian presidential rival.
Although there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Shaikh Salman had any involvement or in any way sanctioned the move, al Mudaweb posted a series of tweets claiming Cohen – who is from Wales – was born in Tel Aviv and played for Israel.
But he got the wrong man, mistaking the 55-year-old Welsh public relations guru and Cardiff City fan for the 73-year-old former Israeli international of the same name.
In one of the tweets, complete with pictures, Al Mudaweb writes that the former footballer “leads today the campaign (of) Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.” In another, sent to the Palestinian FA, he tweets “is there anything clearer than this?” implying that Ali’s chief campaign spin doctor is not to be trusted.
“This is a disgraceful racist attack by Salman’s home FA, implying that just because I am a Jew, there is an Israeli plot afoot,” a furious Cohen reacted. “A Google search would have shown I’m a Welsh PR guy, not a retired footballer.’
The tweets have since been removed but in a statement, the Jordanian Royal Court said rumours that Prince Ali’s campaign manager holds Israeli nationality were “false and are mere attempts to negatively affect the prince’s bid for FIFA presidency.”
“These rumours contravene professional and moral norms and standards as well as the principle of objectivity, the statement added, urging media outlets “to ensure accuracy and transparency as well as to verify any information they obtain, especially when such information is spread by sources that seek to defame others”.
The statement said, finally, the Royal Court “reserves the right to take legal action in response to any such attempts.”
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