Palestine’s FA asks FIFA to probe reported Israeli killing of footballer

DUBAI: Palestine’s Football Association has called on the sport’s governing body FIFA to investigate the death of local football player Ahmed Daraghmeh after it said the 23-year-old striker was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday. The PFA said in a statement to Arab News: “While the rest of the world still basks in the festivities of a splendid World Cup 2022 in Qatar, and prepares to celebrate the season and welcome a new year, Palestinian football has been grieved by the assassination of one of its top footballers.

“And as we grieve for the loss of this young life, we express our heartfelt condolences to the family of Ahmed, his club, and his teammates and demand the international football organizations take a closer look into the racist policies and practices of the Israeli occupation, its constant violations of the international sport regulations, and hold it responsible for depriving Palestinian footballers from their enshrined right to develop and practice sport.” Daraghmeh played for West Bank Premier League team Thaqafi Tulkarm and had scored six goals, the fourth highest total in the league this season. His club said in a statement: “The family of Tulkarm, the management, players and fans mourn Ahmed Atef Mustafa Daraghmeh.

“We send our condolences to his family, his relatives and the entire sports family.” The forward had previously been called up for Palestine’s Olympic team but injury had prevented his participation. Mahmoud Hafez Daraghmeh, a coach at his club, said: “Ahmed had a distinguished personality and was a special player.