Categories
Bahrain Everyday Antisemitism Sports Twitter Ξ E-mail

Antisemitism flares in race to become next FIFA President

The race to become the next FIFA president has erupted in antisemitic smears from a senior figure of Bahrain’s football association.

Multiple tweets by Muhammad Mdwb, the media officer for Bahrain’s national team, claimed a UK-based PR group chosen to represent Prince Ali of Jordan, is run by an Israeli. Prince Ali of Jordan is a viable contender to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA’s president.

Mdwb tweeted an image of Simon Cohen together with Prince Ali, claiming Cohen was born in Tel Aviv, despite the fact that he was born in Wales. Another tweet from Mdwb supposedly showed Simon Cohen playing football for Israel in the 1960s, mistaking Cohen for another man of the same name.

Prince Ali’s rivals include Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, former president of the Bahrain FA and current President of the Asian Football Confederation.

“It is racism and antisemitism and has no place in football,” Cohen responded. “I am also very upset at being mistaken for a 73-year-old retired footballer.”