The head of the Palestinian Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, was banned from all soccer-related activity for a year by FIFA on Friday on charges of inciting hatred and violence before a friendly match that had been planned between Israel and Argentina in June.
Argentina canceled the match due to political pressure by Palestinian groups and the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.
Rajoub's protest followed Israel's decision to move the venue of the match from a Haifa stadium to Jerusalem. He urged Palestinians to burn shirts bearing the name of Argentina's star player, Lionel Messi, if the team went ahead and played there.
The change of venue came at a particularly sensitive time, after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, infuriating the Palestinians who envision the eastern part of the city as the capital of their own future state.
Rajoub's statements "incited hatred and violence," FIFA said banning him for 12 months and fining him 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,340).
Rajoub, FIFA said, was banned from "taking part in any future match or competition taking place during the given period." The ban includes attending matches in any official capacity and participating in media activities at or near stadiums on match days, FIFA added.
The Palestinian FA called the ruling biased and "absurd" and said in a statement in Arabic that the penalty was excessive: "The decision of the Disciplinary Committee went beyond the alleged offense; it imposed the maximum punishment for an accusation that wasn't proven."
The Palestinian body cast doubt on the validity of the complaint lodged by the Israeli FA – which it called a "third party that is in active conflict with the Palestinian FA," and said that neither Messi nor the Argentinian FA had acted on the matter.
It added that it respected the ruling but reserved the right to challenge it "in the relevant legal forum."
Rajoub said Saturday he will appeal the ban. He told The Associated Press he was consulting with his lawyers and will "use every possible opportunity" to fight the decision.
Rajoub spoke by phone from China and said he was planning a press conference upon his return to Ramallah later this week.
Rajoub has long tried to get soccer's world governing body, FIFA, and the International Olympic Committee to impose sanctions against Israel. Those bodies have not heeded his calls.
Israel's soccer association declined to comment.
