Lionel Messi

Palestinian soccer head loses appeal over Messi incitement

Published Jul. 18, 2019 11:42 a.m. ET

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed an appeal by the head of Palestinian soccer against his ban by FIFA for "inciting hatred and violence" toward Lionel Messi.

CAS says its judging panel decided that FIFA's sanctions against Palestinian soccer federation president Jibril Rajoub — a one-year ban from attending games and a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,250) — "were not disproportionate."

Rajoub's ban expires next month, before the national team's first 2022 World Cup qualifying game at home to Uzbekistan on Sept. 5.

Rajoub's comments were made when Argentina was due to play a warm-up game in Israel for the 2018 World Cup.

He urged fans to burn Argentina shirts with Messi's name and pictures of the Barcelona star.

Israel's soccer federation filed a complaint to FIFA, and canceled its Argentina game.

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