The Kick Project

Our latest article, run on the Sport and Development website, on the peace potential in the dispute between Israeli settlers and the Palestinian Football Association. "It's disappointing FIFA has so far chosen not to lead on the issue of Israeli settlement teams playing in Palestinian West Bank. This is a real opportunity for the beleaguered overseer to take a stance, especially as it appears doing so would simply be by enforcing its own rules..."( more )....

Well, the news hounds at The Kick Project have been out of the loop a little lately. But, after a break, Caught Our Eye is back. FIFA Presidential Race Gets Ever Murkier PROGRAM INFO Gaza: One Woman's Plea for Gaza to be Noticed Gaza:Children Forced to Work to Help Broken Families Rohingya in Malaysia: New Book Gives Children's View of Persecution REFUGEES Germany Calls for More EU Intakes as Refugee Influx Balloons-Critics Consider Walls FOOTBALL FOR PEACE US Tournament Brings Young People Together, Including Those from Areas of Conflict

One year on from the escalation of violence in Gaza and things are still looking very sour.  A news quote from Save the Children CEO Paul Ronalds is pertinent: "Save the Children is urging Australia and other nations to use their diplomatic influence to promote the lifting of the blockade to allow the entry of essential humanitarian aid and enable the rebuilding of homes and schools, and support a return to some level of normality for the many distressed children in Gaza.” The Kick Project is still working hard to take a program to Gaza. But, these plans have been re-scheduled for various reasons. Mainly, the program has proved to be a little more complicated than we had anticipated and we have re-focussed on plans for our Rohingya program in Malaysia. We feel that at this early stage of our development as a not for profit organisation we need to build more critical mass in our funding and our management infrastructure before launching into Gaza. We are wary of wast...

Pic: latestonsports.com This week, with the Women's World Cup reaching the pointy end, some insights into women and football, and sport in general.* And, finally, a comment on the Palestine v Israel dispute at the latest FIFA Congress. Sport and Women Girls Tackle Stereotypes (And Each Other) in US Football League How FIFA Discriminates Against the Women's World Cup (possibly for the better...) Is Women in Sport a Feminist Issue? Pic: Zimbio.com Women's Star May Have Violent Past Female EPL Club Owner Shows Men How its Done Culture Must Change for Women's Game Prejudice Still Exists Norway's Team Takes a Shot at Detractors....By Laughing at Them Power of Sport This Young Girl Collapses Every Race, But She Keeps Racing Comment: On May 29, The FIFA Congress saw the culmination in the campaign by the Palestinian Football Federation to give the Israeli federation the red card, by kicking them out of FIFA on charges of player discrim...

Are we going the right way? My comment on FIFA and The World Game which ran in today's Courier Mail (Brisbane's main newspaper for those outside the country). It's pay-walled for some reason but here's the full version anyway.  Click on the link if you like it to make your interest known. Note, while this article concentrates on Messrs Blatter and Al-Hussein, two other candidates are running.  " A pparently, the big wigs of the World Game are in town for the Asian Cup. At least two major contenders for this year's FIFA presidential elections, Sepp Blatter and Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, are here courting support, making deals, shmoozing and maybe even watching a game. Given our fair land is the first battle field of this vital moment in the future of the game, I thought I might take the opportunity to have a word in their ear. Sepp, Ali, lean in. Now, even within its first few days, Asian Cup watchers have witnessed the magic football can mak...

This is my first column piece for a new football website, http://www.cleatbeat.com/ and its regular online magazine, Half-Time. M any years ago, in another life, I was privileged to spend some time in Gaza and on the West Bank. Lots of people warned me about how dangerous it would be, how shifty the Palestinians were and how I'd be shot at. Suffice to say, none of this was true and I recall walking around the dishevelled streets of Gaza and eating pizza on the beautiful beach-front, feeling as safe as I've felt anywhere.....( more ) James Rose Half-Time March 17, 2011 Photo credit: Pixmac

How good is this ? Shame to note that there were few women and girls in the crowd but a significant step for peace in Palestine nevertheless. Photo credit: AP