Palestinian football chief says was refused US, Canada World Cup visas

LOS ANGELES: The president of the Palestinian Football Association told AFP on Friday that he had been refused an entry visa for the US and Canada to attend World Cup events.

Jibril Rajoub said he had, however, been able to enter Mexico to attend the World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City on Thursday, held before Mexico beat South Africa.

“They did not grant me a visa for the US after I applied in (the Jordanian capital) Amman. Their behaviour is ridiculous,” Rajoub said in a telephone interview with AFP.

“I am currently in Mexico. I will attend Tunisia’s match (in Monterrey against Sweden on June 14), and then I will return to the Palestinian territories,” he added.

Rajoub told AFP that he had also failed to obtain a visa for Canada, which is co-hosting the World Cup.

“Certain circles do not want us to criticise Israel,” he said, claiming without providing evidence that “the Israelis had exerted pressure.”

In April, Rajoub took part in the Fifa Congress in Vancouver but refused an invitation from Fifa chief Gianni Infantino to participate in a group photo with an official from the Israeli Football Association.

The Palestinian Football Association has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against Fifa’s decision not to impose sanctions on Israel over the participation of clubs located in the occupied West Bank in competitions supervised by the Israeli Football Association.

The Palestinian Football Association has long argued that clubs established in West Bank settlements should not take part in competitions organised by the Israeli Football Association.

US President Donald Trump’s immigration policy has created problems for nationals from certain countries seeking entry to the US.

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry despite having a valid US visa. US authorities have also refused visas to some members of the Iran team’s support staff as well as Senegalese and Ivorian supporters.