Palestine FA president´s appeal rejected after ´inciting hatred´ against Lionel Messi

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has rejected the Palestine Football Association president’s appeal against a 12-month ban for “inciting hatred and violence” against Lionel Messi.

Ahead of Argentina’s scheduled pre-World Cup friendly against Israel in June 2018, Jibril Rajoub spoke out about the match amid the conflict and political tension between Israelis and Palestinians.

The match was due to take place in Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, a ground built on land said to have belonged to a Palestinian village before its destruction in 1948.

Rajoub urged fans to target Messi and incited them to burn shirts bearing the Barcelona star’s name, with the match ultimately being cancelled.

FIFA received a complaint from the Israeli Football Association and Rajoub was given a 12-month ban from all matches at any level until August 23, 2019, while also being fined 20,000 Swiss francs (€18,056).

His appeal to FIFA was rejected in September, two months before he raised the case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Rajoub has again been unsuccessful in fighting the punishment, with the CAS panel adjudging him to have “failed to establish that any procedural violations were committed in the proceedings before the FIFA disciplinary committee…  that could justify the annulment of such decisions”.

CAS, in its statement, added: “Accordingly, the CAS panel dismissed the appeal and confirmed FIFA appeal committee decision of 24 September 2018.”