FIFA bans Palestinian football’s President for Lionel Messi comments

World football governing body FIFA has given Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestinian Football Association, a 12-month suspension after he urged fans to burn Lionel Messi shirts and pictures.

Rajoub has also been fined 20,000 Swiss francs (US$20,340) for "inciting hatred and violence" with statements made before a friendly between Argentina and Israel that had been due to take place prior to this year’s World Cup.

Scheduled to be in June in Jerusalem, the fixture was cancelled after extensive campaigning by supporters of Palestinian statehood who felt Israel was using the Argentine team’s presence for political gain.

At the time, Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie had said he believed his country's footballers "were not willing to play the game" against Israel.

After the match was cancelled, the Palestinian FA issued a statement thanking Argentina forward Messi and his team-mates.

However, Rotem Kamer of the Israel Football Association stated "we are confronting a football terror from the Palestinian Football Association and its President.”

The Israel FA said it viewed "with severity the physical and brutal threats, which crossed every red line, made by" Rajoub, vowing to "do everything in its power in the world football institutions to make Rajoub and the Palestinian FA accountable".

As a result of the suspension, Rajoub will not be able to attend football matches in any capacity.

The Palestinian FA expressed its "utmost surprise" at the decision, which it claims is “unproportionate, absurd, and lacking in evidence".

It questioned the decision to impose the maximum penalty, as well as the fact neither Messi nor the Argentine Football Association lodged a complaint.

It claims a "predisposition to ban Rajoub" following the complaint by the Israel FA and has said it will now "pursue this issue to the last possible legal venue".

Click here to view FIFA's statement on the disciplinary action.