New FIFA rules bar Colautti, Tamuz from Euro 2008 campaign
By Moshe Boker
Roberto Colautti and Toto Tamuz are out of Israel's Euro 2008 qualifying
campaign, after world soccer's governing body, FIFA, altered its international
eligibility rules to prohibit players from appearing for an adopted national
team unless they are full citizens of that country.
The decision, which was made by the FIFA executive committee last month,
came into force yesterday when all 208 FIFA members received a letter
advising them of the new rule.
Consequently, Argentine-born Roberto Colautti and Nigerian-born Toto Tamuz
can no longer play for the Israel national team, which is involved in
a four-way tussle with Croatia, Russia and England for a place in next
summer's Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland.
"A number of players were able to play for a country as long as they
lived there, but their citizenship ended if they moved away from that
country," FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said. "This new ruling,
in effect, protects the players. If a good young player was to leave a
small club in one country for a big club in another country and lost his
right of citizenship, he would also jeopardize his international career."
"All any country has to do is grant that player full unconditional
citizenship and he is eligible to play for that country whether he lives
there or not."
However, sources in the Israel Football Association suggested that other,
untoward motives were at play and pointed a finger at the English Football
Association.
"The English FA has great influence on FIFA," said one source.
"It understands just how important Tamuz and Colautti are to Israel
and threw its weight to make sure they don't play against England. For
some reason, the ruling, which was made three weeks ago, was kept secret,
and only now has it been released. That is no coincidence."
Israel's next qualifier is against England at Wembley on September 8.
IFA Chairman Avi Luzon, meanwhile, immediately appealed to Interior Minister
Roni Bar-On and ministry director general Ram Balinkov to grant Colautti
and Tamuz full citizenship. Luzon also plans to discuss the affair with
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert upon his return from the United States.
"The new regulations deal a serious blow to the national team,"
Luzon said. "It is clear to all just how big a contribution Tamuz
and Colautti have made to the team. We will do everything we can to ensure
they can play for Israel."
Beitar Jerusalem forward Tamuz was born in Nigeria, but has lived in Israel,
where he was unofficially adopted, since the age of three. Tamuz appears
for Israel's senior and under-21 teams. He is due to receive full citizenship
in 18 months.
Maccabi Haifa striker Colautti is married to an Israeli citizen and is
due to receive citizenship in three years. Colautti is Israel's leading
scorer in its Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, with six goals.
A spokeswomen for the Interior Ministry told Haaretz that the ministry
had not been contacted by the IFA, but that in any event, it did not plan
to grant special exemptions.
"The laws of the State of Israel apply to everyone and they will
not be changed because of a ruling by FIFA. The Interior Ministry operates
according to the laws of the state of Israel and not according to the
rulings of FIFA," the spokeswoman said.
