Letter of the President of the Football Federation of Kosova (FFK) Fadil Vokrri and General Secretary Heroll Salihi sent to the FIFA Executive Committee President Joseph S. Blatter and General Secretary Jérôme on the decision of FIFA not to admit FFK.

Dear President,
Dear Secretary General,

Initially, we want to express our heartfelt disappointment with the decision of the Executive Committee of FIFA regarding Kosovo Football Federation’s (FFK) application for membership to FIFA, held on 24th of October 2008.
We expected a more serious approach towards our application for a membership to FIFA.

Please, let us understand that the Republic of Kosovo, by your standards, is not recognized as an independent and sovereign country that is recognized by the International Community (so far 51 states have recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign country, and this is still developing).
FIFA’s Executive Committee’s decision not to allow Kosovo’s National Team to play friendly matches is against FIFA mission and its principles. This decision is definitely not for “the good of the game” nor “for the good of the world.”

Article 79 paragraph 1 of the FIFA charter does not ban any National Team from playing friendly matches instead it says that you need permission from FIFA. In our case, FIFA makes an administrative decision that Kosovo National Team cannot play friendly matches. How are we to understand and explain this to the hundreds of thousands of footballers and fans that pose these questions to us on a daily basis. We do not see this any other way, other than discrimination of Kosovo football players, its clubs, and its fans.
Our other request was to recognize the “International Transfer Registered Certificate” (ITRC), so that Kosovo football players and clubs could be protected from continuous exploitation.

There are hundreds of Kosovo players that play all over the world, especially in Europe. Who else, if not the FFK, should issue this “ITRC” for these players?

Let us remind you that the FFK was an equal member of the Yugoslav Football Association since 1946, as was Slovenia, Croatia Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina and Macedonia.
Our players and clubs were indirectly members of FIFA and UEFA.

Mr. President,

We respect your efforts towards promoting the mission of the football game in continents and countries such as Africa, Asia (for example Palestine and others) etc. but we cannot understand that Kosovo, the newest country in the world (in the heart of Europe) with a football tradition, cannot be a member of FIFA and UEFA because of, what we believe, is politics.

With this decision of the EC of FIFA, Kosovo Football remains a “football ghetto“ in the middle of Europe.

We are committed to see that FFK is admitted as an equal member to FIFA and UEFA, because this is our legitimate right.

Many times so far we have asked for a meeting with you to express our position regarding our application and other issues, but unfortunately we never got an answer.

We ask to meet with you urgently.

Best regards,
Etc.

 

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Kosovo Football Federation