PRIDE OF PALESTINE

War-torn country kicks off in Asian Cup, but their FA chief admits: Political division between Gaza and the West Bank doesn't exist in football. Tough to get the team out, but now we play for our people

- RICHARD EDWARDS

IRAN and Palestine are currently embroiled in the ravages of war.

But today they will be competing on a football pitch as both go toe-to-toe in their opening Asian Cup match.

In the case of Palestine, it is something that they are lining up at all.

"It has been extremely difficult," said Susan Shalabi (above), the vice-president of the Palestine FA.

"It was difficult to get the team together, it was impossible to get our Gazan players out of Gaza to join the squad. Only Mahmoud Wadi managed to join the team because he was abroad when the war started.

"There are daily incursions by the Israeli army in the West Bank, forcing us to suspend all local football activity.

"We got the team out of Palestine and they've been away from their families since then."