( CNN ) -- The president of soccer 's global governing body has urged the Israeli Football Association ( IFA ) to intervene in the case of a hunger striking Palestinian footballer . FIFA president Sepp Blatter `` expressed grave concern '' regarding the incarceration of members of the Palestine team in Israel , including Mahmoud Sarsak who is on hunger strike . `` The reports FIFA received state that in apparent violation of their integrity and human rights and without the apparent right of a due process ( trial ) , several Palestine football players have allegedly been illegally detained by Israeli authorities , '' read a statement on the organization 's website . `` FIFA urgently calls on IFA to draw the attention of the Israeli competent authorities to the present matter , with the aim of ensuring the physical integrity of the concerned players as well as their right for due process . '' The global organization which represents professional footballers FIFPro has called for the immediate release of Sarsak , who has been imprisoned since being arrested at a checkpoint while attempting to enter the West Bank in June 2009.. `` FIFPro , the voice of all professional footballers in the world , demands that Mahmoud Sarsak be released from prison , '' said the release on FIFPro 's website . `` The 25-year-old footballer has not eaten for 85 days and has lost approximately thirty kilos in weight . According to human rights organization Addameer the situation of Mahmoud is critical . `` FIFPro is deeply concerned about Sarsak 's health and about his imprisonment and therefore asks for his release from jail . '' FIFPro 's vice-president Philippe Piat described Sarsak 's situation as an `` injustice . '' `` The freedom of movement is a fundamental right of every citizen , '' said Piat . `` It is also written down in the FIFA Regulations that players must be allowed to play for the national team of their country . `` But actually for some footballers it is impossible to defend the colors of their country . They can not cross the border . They can not visit their family . They are locked up . '' The Israeli Embassy in London was not immediately available for comment .
FIFA president Sepp Blatter called for IFA to focus on imprisoned Palestine players . Mahmoud Abbas has been in prison in Israel since November 2009 . Sarsak has been on hunger strike in protest against his continued incarceration . FIFA calls the situation an ` ` injustice '' and called for Sarsak 's release .