Exclusive: ‘No compromise’ Rajoub stands firm on Israeli suspension demand

Jibril Rajoub 2

By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 1 – The head of Palestinian football insists his association will not give in to any pressure to withdraw its proposal calling for Israel to be thrown out of the sport at the FIFA Congress later this month. Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub says nothing has changed for the better in the West Bank and Gaza in terms of the free movement of players and equipment since a year ago when he was persuaded to drop a similar proposal.

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Chechnya and Dagestan could host 2018 World Cup training bases

Russia 2018 logo1

By Paul Nicholson
May 1 – The soft face of news from Russia on World Cup 2018 preparations, met the harder of face football’s geo-politics this week. As the 2018 organisers launched a competition to create the mascot for the 2018 World Cup, the organisers were pushed into defending the possibility of housing teams in 2018 in the volatile North Caucasus regions, including Chechnya.

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Crimean football: a victim of political symbolism?

Crimean flags

By Mark Baber
April 30 – As Crimea becomes increasingly integrated into the Russian Federation, with its status within Russia apparently immutable and the large majority of Crimean residents becoming Russian citizens, the hold of the Ukrainian Football Federation over the fate of Crimean football appears increasingly iniquitous.

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