As discussed:

“Alleged illegal detainment of Palestine football players”

In a letter to the Israel Football Association (IFA) FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter expressed today grave concern and worry about the alleged illegal detention of Palestine football players.

The reports FIFA received state that in apparent violation of their integrity and human rights and without the apparent right of a due process (trial), several Palestine football players have allegedly been illegally detained by Israeli authorities. In particular, the mentioned reports refer to the Palestine player Mahmoud Sarsak, whose health is in a very delicate state due to the fact that he has been undergoing a hunger strike for approximately 90 days in protest of his alleged illegal detention.

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 concerned players as well as their right for due process. The matter came to FIFA’s attention following correspondence with the Palestine Football Association, several international media reports concerning the football player Mahmoud Sarsak and a FIFAPro media release.

FIFA

Media department

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From: Greg Felton [mailto:gregfelton@shaw.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, 12. June 2012 17:38
To: Media Office (FIFA)
Subject: Re: Alleged illegal detainment of Palestine football players

Dear Wolfgang:

Thank you for sending me this. I appreciate it.

One question: why does the release call the illegal detention of Palestine football players “alleged” when it is clearly a fact, and the press release itself mentions “the aforementioned graveness” of the matter?

Thanks again,

Greg Felton

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On 6/12/12 9:08 AM, "media@uefa.ch" <media@uefa.ch> wrote:

Dear Greg,

This is a very sensitive matter and also due to the fact that the information received is based on 3rd party reports, FIFA cannot confirm the degree of accuracy of the information provided.

Kind regards,

FIFA Media Department