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The Arab-led coalition forces in Yemen have almost completely destroyed the sports infrastructure in Yemen, including the country's main football fields, sports facilities and youth clubs. As a result of the war that broke out in this country for about 3 years and 9 months between Yemen`s internationally recognized government supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition, and the Houthis (Ansar Allah) backed by Iran.
In the middle of this war is the name of Ahmed Saleh al-Eisi, head of the Yemeni Football Association, the character that considered by many Yemenis, especially athletes, the major beneficiary from continuation of this war, which destroyed most football stadiums and facilities, amid the suspicious silence of al-Eisi.
In addition to his position as head of the Yemeni Football Association, Al-Eisi holds an important position in the office of Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi. He is the director of the Office of the President of the Republic for Economic Affairs. However, the man turns a blind eye aginst great destruction caused by Arab Alliance`s raids in Yemen in general, and football in particular at the internal level.
Among the thousands of civilian casualties, many athletes were killed in this war, many football stars left the game, and turned to other fileds of action. Some of them were engaged in fighting on both sides of the conflict in Yemen. The number of athletes who died in this war is 13 players from various games, including football. All of this did not stir up in al-Eisi.
"The war has caused many tragedies. I have gone to work in a strange filed, in public relations, to extract transactions for colleagues, expatriates, businessmen or businessmen for money, and then I started working in real estate buying and selling."
This was described to "Debriefer" news agency by Abdo al-Idrissi captain of the Yemeni national football team and one of the most prominent players in the so-called "Al-Amal team" who qualified for the World Cup in Finland in 2003. He was aspiring to professionalism in the field of management Sports as a specialty needs Yemeni football.
"I left the sport and the training options for a full-time search for a living after I saw with my own eyes the savage bombing of our country's sports infrastructure, which is now on a coffin without trying to save it," he said.
Who is Ahmed Al-Eisi?
Not so many years ago, nobody knew him! After using his friends to call him with the title of "Sheikh" after his ascension to the presidency of the Yemeni Football Association, the man became more influential, especially with his association with the centers of power in the management of the Yemeni state, relations and partnerships plagued by many suspicions associated with corruption deals in various fields in particular esepichially in the field of oil trade, which has become the largest trade.
Many Yemeni athletes see Al-Eisi, the head of the Yemeni Football Association (YFA), as a clear example of a man who has been guided by his side and protected by the immunity of the most powerful international organizations, namely FIFA, the world's best-known Head. Lying on the ruins of the Yemeni ball of time.
Who is Ahmed Al-Eisi?
Not so many years ago, nobody knew him! After using his friends to call him with the title of "Sheikh" after his ascension to the presidency of the Yemeni Football Association, the man became more influential, especially with his association with the centers of power in the management of the Yemeni state, relations and partnerships plagued by many suspicions associated with corruption deals in various fields in particular esepichially in the field of oil trade, which has become the largest trade.
Many Yemeni athletes see Al-Eisi, the head of the Yemeni Football Association (YFA), as a clear example of a man who has been guided by his side and protected by the immunity of the most powerful international organizations, namely FIFA, the world's best-known Head. Lying on the ruins of the Yemeni ball of time.
Many Yemeni athletes assert that one of the reasons for the Arab alliance's efforts to destroy the sports infrastructure is the silence of Al-Eisi and his union towards that destruction. They pointed out that a letter from the Yemeni Football Association 's Head to FIFA objecting to the destruction of the sports facilities was enough to put a strong pressure on the coalition to stop targeting these facilities, but al-Eisi did not do that, but remained a supporter of those operations that destroyed the facilities where the federation was evaluating sports competitions.
Observers believe that FIFA's silence on the inhumane attitudes of al-Eisi as a support for the destruction of his country and the killing of innocent children and innocent civilians in Yemen raises serious questions about whether the man's "oil" protects him through brokers who cover up the crimes committed in Yemen, especially since al-Eisi is not only head of the Union he is too the director of the Hadi office for economic affairs and the man who co-manages the actual leadership of the Hadi government in Yemen behind the scenes.
In a non-final statistic prepared by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the number of sports establishments destroyed by the Arab alliance reached 87, while the Yemeni Olympic Committee and 30 Yemeni sports unions issued statements condemning the ongoing bombing of youth property by the coalition aircraft
the Football Association remained the only one to remain silent and even Justified the work of the coalition, despite the fact that seven giant sports stadiums were completely destroyed from a total of 87 facilities, including the hotel building on "Joel" project operated by FIFA in Yemen.
What is happening is that al-Eisi exploits all these events to strengthen his relations with the warlords amid a strange immunity from FIFA, which has the right to stop at a time when the general assembly of the Yemeni Union is dispersed due to the war and internal closure between the provinces controlled by either the Houthi group or the authorities loyal to Saudi Arabia and UAE.
The war has clearly affected life in Yemen. The bombing of sports facilities has played a major role in the displacement of young people and athletes who have lost their stadiums, gymnasiums and competitors, in addition to losing much of the simple amounts they received as salaries and incentives.
Amidst all that suffering, the football Association headed by Al-Eisi remained on the sidelines in the face of all this destruction, which is evident to all observers except for the man and the board of directors who are deployed in the capitals of the Arab countries. They watched the Yemeni athletes sink into a deep bottom that does not look promising in coming the days.
Yemeni activists are working on a list of Yemen warlords and Merchants of war to punish them internationally or bring them to an international trial for their heinous war crimes in Yemen. The list includes Ahmed Saleh al-Eisi, but they fear FIFA will give immunity to the man.
However, some experts assert that FIFA can not grant immunity to Al-Eisi, as FIFA can not grant immunity to those who have committed or caused war crimes or traded with the blood and needs of citizens.
