FIFA ban to hurt players the most: Essa

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Essa on Saturday said that FIFA’s decision to suspend Pakistan has put the country’s football in a quagmire.

In an interview with ‘The News’, the former playmaker said that state and Chief Justice of Pakistan should look into the matter and resolve it in best interest of the players.

“Every one knows that FIFA never deviates from its stance and it is important to resolve the matter in the light of international governing body’s rules and regulations,” Essa said.

FIFA suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) due to third party’s interference in the football matters of the country which could not feature in any international event for the last two and a half years due to legal conflict between the PFF and its rival group being headed by former PFF Congress members.

FIFA also said that the suspension would be lifted only when the PFF headquarters in Lahore and accounts are handed over to the PFF.

FIFA had threatened Pakistan of a suspension earlier this summer and had said if the PFF headquarters and accounts were not handed over to the PFF till August 31, Pakistan would be suspended from all international action. And Essa fears that it seems that the development has put players in utter danger.

“The new development has further put the careers of the players in much danger. And if the issue is not resolved immediately then I think the players could also lose their jobs as departments may not keep them when there is no football,” said Essa, who also completed the AFC License B coaching course.

Essa said that as a player, he feels that it is the right time for the athletes to start a struggle for their rights.

“Players have suffered the most and I intend to assemble international players and through our players’ association we would stage protest demonstrations in various cities of the country,” he said.

“Our first protest will be in Chaman and then we will do the same in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore,” Essa said.

“We are the ultimate sufferers. And if we don’t stand for protecting our rights then who will save us,” he added.

Since April 2015, Pakistan have not toured abroad or featured in an international event. The legal battle between the two groups is still in progress. Lahore High Court (LHC) will hear the case on October 17 and it is expected that the court would decide the matter quickly. The LHC had given its verdict in early February this year. However, Supreme Court later set aside the same decision of the LHC double bench and rather referred the case back to it with the instructions to decide it on merit.