DUBAI: Palestine’s Football Association has called on the sport’s governing body FIFA to investigate the death of local football player Ahmed Daraghmeh after it said the 23-year-old striker was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday.
The PFA said in a statement to Arab News: “While the rest of the world still basks in the festivities of a splendid World Cup 2022 in Qatar, and prepares to celebrate the season and welcome a new year, Palestinian football has been grieved by the assassination of one of its top footballers.
“And as we grieve for the loss of this young life, we express our heartfelt condolences to the family of Ahmed, his club, and his teammates and demand the international football organizations take a closer look into the racist policies and practices of the Israeli occupation, its constant violations of the international sport regulations, and hold it responsible for depriving Palestinian footballers from their enshrined right to develop and practice sport.”
Daraghmeh played for West Bank Premier League team Thaqafi Tulkarm and had scored six goals, the fourth highest total in the league this season.
His club said in a statement: “The family of Tulkarm, the management, players and fans mourn Ahmed Atef Mustafa Daraghmeh.
“We send our condolences to his family, his relatives and the entire sports family.”
The forward had previously been called up for Palestine’s Olympic team but injury had prevented his participation.
Mahmoud Hafez Daraghmeh, a coach at his club, said: “Ahmed had a distinguished personality and was a special player.
“He was tireless as a player and scored some decisive goals.”
The Israeli military said that its soldiers had fired back after coming under attack by Palestinians on entering Nablus.
The PFA has complained in the past that the Israeli occupation has affected the development of football in Palestine, including its attempts to qualify for the World Cup.
Former national football coach Noureddine Ould Ali said earlier this year: “People in Palestine are not free in their movement.
“If you want to leave then you must first go through a number of checkpoints, and if you get through those then you still have to go through the border into Jordan.”
Daraghmeh’s death comes after several positive weeks for the country on the international football stage. The country’s flag was unfurled by Morocco’s players after their historic win over Spain in Qatar on their way to a historic semifinal appearance.
With the flag a common sight at the competition and on the screens of the world’s televisions, Palestine were called in some quarters the tournament’s “33rd team.”
It is now reported that there have been 224 Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire since the start of 2022.
Palestine’s FA asks FIFA to probe reported Israeli killing of footballer
https://arab.news/rmha3
Palestine’s FA asks FIFA to probe reported Israeli killing of footballer
- Local footballer Ahmed Daraghmeh, 23, played for West Bank Premier League team Thaqafi Tulkarm
- “Palestinian football has been grieved by the assassination of one of its top footballers,” PFA told Arab News in a statement
Detry, LIV Golf veteran Uihlein share first-round lead in Riyadh
- Detry, the newest full-time member of 4Aces GC, shot a bogey-free 7-under 65 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club
RIYADH: Thomas Detry admitted feeling “a bit nervous” entering his LIV Golf debut on Wednesday.
So did Elvis Smylie, another of the league’s newcomers, but their opening-round performances under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club showed they are both ready to make some serious noise this season.
Detry, the newest full-time member of 4Aces GC, shot a bogey-free seven-under 65 to grab a share of the ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh lead with LIV Golf veteran Peter Uihlein of RangeGoats GC.
Smylie, the 23-year-old rising star who joined the all-Australian Ripper GC, carded a 66 that left him in solo third. The two were among 10 players — eight full-timers and two reserves — playing their first-ever LIV Golf rounds.
Byeong Hun An, the new captain of Korean Golf Club, also sparkled in his debut, shooting 67 to join a group of six players tied for fourth. HyFlyers GC’s Michael La Sasso shot 69 in his pro debut as the league’s youngest player at age 21.
Torque GC grabbed the team lead at 15 under, with the all-South African Southern Guards GC two shots behind. Defending Riyadh champions and reigning LIV Golf Team Champions Legion XIII are in solo third at 11 under.
Detry and Smylie each hit 10 fairways, tying for best in the field, while Detry also was tied for the lead in greens in regulation, hitting 17 of 18. He prepared for playing at night by practicing under the lights with his coach in Abu Dhabi.
“First day on the job, so a little bit of a change for me, so a bit nervous,” said the Belgian, whose most recent win was in February last year on the PGA Tour. “I drove it so well out there, it made my job pretty easy.”
Smylie suffered a bogey on his second hole before finding his rhythm. Five of his seven birdies came on par fours, tying new Smash GC Captain Talor Gooch for most by any other player on Wednesday.
“I think there were a little bit of nerves and excitement, but I think I showed what I’m capable of today, or tonight, I should say,” Smylie said.
While Detry and Smylie were making their first LIV Golf starts, Uihlein was embarking on start number 51 as one of eight original players who have started every tournament since LIV Golf debuted in London in 2022.
He remains in search of his first LIV Golf win, although he won two International Series events on the Asian Tour in 2024. Those were each 72-hole tournaments, and Uihlein hopes LIV Golf’s format switch from 54 holes to 72 starting this season will prove beneficial to him.
“I’m not scared of a blowup every now and then on a hole in particular, so now I have more holes to make it up,” Uihlein said. “I think it’s going to benefit me long-term, which is nice.”
Gooch is among the group lurking at five under. He has won four individual titles and the 2023 season-long Individual Championship, all in the previous 54-hole format. He and the other veteran LIV Golf players have had to adjust their mindset.
“Definitely has a totally different vibe,” Gooch said.
“Only 18 more holes, it’s not that vastly different. But even on the range when we were about to go, I was giving everybody a little fist bump and said, ‘Let’s go get it,’ and Harold (Varner III, his new Smash teammate) said, ‘Hey, don’t come out the gate sprinting. It’s not a sprint anymore.’”
It remains serious business, though, especially with a bevy of newcomers in the expanded 57-player field determined to make a quick impression even while getting used to LIV Golf’s energetic tournament days.
“I think even with the concerts and the entertainment outside of the golf, that’s something that I’m really enjoying,” Smylie said. “I feel like I’m really thriving in an environment like that, and it’s great to start my LIV career here in Riyadh.”
