Muslims to boycott English football club in Malaysia
Posted on April 27, 2008
Filed Under Israeli-Muslim Conflict, Media, News, Politics, Religion, Stupidity
Malaysia is a country where football is loved.
Hoards of Malaysian football fans support European clubs - from German Shalke and Bayern Munchen, to English Manchester United, Chelsea FC and Scottish Celtic and Rangers. Most of these fans don’t seem to be bothered by the fact that the owners of Manchester United are American Jews who support Israel, or that Israeli football player took part in Celtic first squad a few years ago. The numbers of Malaysian fans supporting Chelsea have not dropped but increased, after Russian Jewish billionaire Roman Abramovich (also a staunch supporter of and frequent visitor in Israel) took over the club and injected hundreds of millions of pounds to buy the best players available and contest for all titles; or when he appointed Avram Grant – Israeli football manager with no real record in Europe – to lead the coaching staff. Surprisingly, this particular move was most protested by hard core English Chelsea fans, mainly due to Grant’s no-record in the European football.
But there is always someone who’s going to stir things up. And guess what, these are no Hindus and no Chinese living in Malaysia.
This time, Muslim groups in Malaysia are urging their countrymen to boycott the games of the English football club Chelsea, that is coming to this South-Eastern country for a planned game tour. The reason for boycott – head-coach of the club and one of the players are Israelis.
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Muslim leaders on Sunday urged Malaysians to boycott a visit by English football giants Chelsea in protest at the move to let their Israeli coach and defender into the country
Spokesman Mohamad Azmi Abdul Hamid said the coalition of 21 Muslim groups would hold a mass protest at the tour match if the government did not bar coach Avram Grant and player Tal Ben Haim.
“Malaysians should boycott the match,” Mohamad Azmi said. “We should unite with the Palestinian people and fight for an independent homeland for them.”
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and its citizens must obtain special permission to travel here.
On Friday, the group submitted a memorandum to the home ministry opposing the government’s decision to allow the Israeli pair into the country.
“The reason for the travel ban to Malaysia is to isolate Israel which is a rogue state. If the Israeli footballers are allowed in, the government will be considered as being insensitive to the Palestinian people,” Mohamad Azmi said.
He warned that if Grant and Ben Haim are allowed into Malaysia, the coalition would picket Chelsea’s match against a Malaysian team on July 29.
“Definitely, we will mobilise the public and hold a protest outside the stadium,” he said.
Foreign Minister Rais Yatim has confirmed Malaysia had no “objections” to admitting the two, allaying fears that Chelsea may cancel the visit.
“They are a sports team with two Israeli members. We don’t see it as something wrong,” he said.
The English title contenders are among the most popular teams in Malaysia, where sports fans avidly follow the Premier League on satellite television.
Thank God there is someone with a common sense in this country’s leadership. And his fears of Chelsea FC cancelling the tour are more than just fears - the club has specifically threatened to do so if visas for the Israeli coach and player are not issued.
The fact of the matter is that when the football clubs are coming to play in Israel, Israeli authorities always ready to issue entrance permits and visas to the players coming from the countries Israel does not have a diplomatic relations with, including the players from Iran. Sport is above all, that’s what we in Israel and the West are taught. Apparently, there are some who don’t share this point of view. And speaking of sports, it seems like boycott has become one of the favorite sports of the Muslim public.
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One Response to “Muslims to boycott English football club in Malaysia”
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HUH…..? THEY JUST PLAY A GAME AND THEY NOT HAVING A WAR
ISLAM NOT HATING EACH OTHER AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT…THEY JUST PLAY THE GAME