Australian authorities deny entry of Palestinian football chief
3 Min Read
Australian media say officials denied Rajoub entry due to a "technicality in his application" rather than character grounds.
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Palestinian Football Association chief Jibril Rajoub delivers his speech during the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP)
Australia's authorities have denied entry to Palestine Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub ahead of the Palestinian team’s World Cup qualifier against its Australian counterpart in Perth on Tuesday.
Palestine made history by advancing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time following a 0-0 draw against Lebanon in Doha on Thursday.
Australian media reported that Rajoub was scheduled to fly from Doha via private jet with his team, arriving in Perth on Saturday. However, local news outlet 7News mentioned that Rajoub was not part of the group set to land in Australia, citing information that the Australian Department of Home Affairs had rejected his entry.
The outlet reported that officials denied Rajoub entry due to a "technicality in his application" rather than character grounds.
"All non-citizens applying for visas to enter Australia are considered on an individual basis against legal requirements set out in Australia’s migration legislation," the Department of Home Affairs stated.
7News also revealed that FIFA officials attempted to use their political influence to intervene to solve the issue to no avail.
"As is standard procedure for all FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary round matches, the relevant participating member associations are in regular contact concerning the match organisation, which includes visa requirements amongst other things, to ensure that each match is delivered as smoothly as possible," FIFA said in a statement.
Football Australia, the nation’s football authority, confirmed that it "is aware of the situation regarding the President of the Palestine Football Association, Jibril Rajoub."
A spokesperson told ESPN that "this is a matter for the Australian Government."
Rajoub, who heads both the Palestinian Football Association and the Palestine Olympic Committee, has called for "Israel’s" suspension from world football over its war on the Gaza Strip, and the PFA has reported Israeli violations in Gaza, specifically against Palestinian footballers and sports infrastructure.
FIFA announced last month that it would seek independent legal advice before holding an extraordinary council meeting by July 25 to decide on the Palestinian request.
Rajoub mentioned receiving threats due to his proposal, saying that "the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs has made serious threats to imprison me if I do not withdraw this proposal, but no power in the world can stand in the way of truth."
