This past month, international papers all over the world were reporting on the scandal that the Palestino Soccer Club of Santiago, Chile wore a soccer jersey which defined Palestine by erasing all of Israel.
The Jewish community of Chile was furious. Not just Chilean Jews, but the whole world-wide Jewish community put pressure on the Chilean Soccer Federation to get the shirt banned.
Well, finally, last week, (Click Here) it was reported that the Chilean Soccer Federation banned the jersey; and fined the club.
The Palestino team said they would pay the fine and comply.
For a while, it looked like the world Jewish community had won.
Happy ending?!
Well, not quite.
Apparently, the ruling turned on a technicality.
New Chilean club soccer shirt ‘damages Jewish-Palestine relations’
Shortly after the ban was imposed, Aguad confirmed Palestino agreed to ditch the controversial kit — which received orders from as far afield as Germany and the Middle East and increased jersey sales by 300 percent. The club also agreed to pay the US$1,300 fine and design a new jersey without appeal.
The ANFP court ruling decided Jan. 21 that the map of Palestine breached both their own and International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) regulations relating to political, racial and social discrimination. The hearing also found that the map detail broke Article 36 of the ANFP competition rules, which states digits used on shirts must be 9.8 inches in height.
The team did replace the jersey as promised; but obviously not to the satisfaction of the Jewish community.
The team is now back with a new, and equally offensive, jersey.
Note: Had to remove picture. Original picture of jersey was pulled from net. – Cleanup – July 2016
The saga continues.
New Chilean club soccer shirt ‘damages Jewish-Palestine relations’
“There are no rules against using the ancient map of Palestine on sportswear,” Aguad [Palestino President Fernando Aguad] added soon afterwards. “We are going to design a new shirt with complete liberty to include the territory of, and any symbols relating to, Palestine.”
The Palestinian community in Chile – and their team – remains defiant.
Why?
Chiefly, because the Palestinian in Chile are a very well-to-do elite; at times more powerful than the small Jewish community in Chile. They have the ability to fight back.
The problem is that they are radicalized against Israel.
This is NOT a good thing.
The Arabs have propagandized South America almost uncontested. Israel and the USA are to blame for allowing this to happen, with very little counter-spin.