Haiti – «The island of Hispaniola is Haiti» : The FHF seeks to end the controversy; the Dominican Federation files a complaint
In an attempt to put an end to the debate, which is more political than sporting in nature among our neighbors regarding statements made by Grenadier Wilson Isidor, the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) has issued a statement. In the heat of the moment following his two-goal performance against the Dominican Republic (https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-48570-haiti-nations-league-2026-haiti-crushes-the-dominican-republic-[4-1].html), Isidor—playing before a stadium filled predominantly with Haitian supporters—had exclaimed, “The island of Hispaniola is Haiti!” and “This is Haiti !” (https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-48578-haiti-flash-the-grenadiers-banned-from-playing-in-the-dominican-republic.html). These remarks sparked strong reactions within nationalist political and sports circles in the Dominican Republic.
FHF Statement :
“The FHF wishes to reiterate that this celebration took place within a sporting context and represented Wilson Isidor’s expression of his attachment to his Haitian roots. This attachment to Haiti cannot, in itself, be interpreted as a sign of hostility or disrespect toward another people or nation.
The Federation acknowledges the various reactions and interpretations prompted by this celebration. However, it considers it essential to preserve the context in which it occurred and to avoid attributing a significance to it that extends beyond the realm of sport.
Football must remain a space for coming together and fostering unity. Sporting rivalry, however intense, must never cause us to lose sight of the mutual respect that should unite players, supporters, and Nations.
The FHF therefore hopes that the debate sparked by this celebration remains within the realm of sport and is not exploited for purposes unrelated to football.
In this spirit, the Haitian Football Federation reaffirms its support for its players in expressing their identity and their attachment to Haiti, while remaining fully committed to the values of respect, fair play, and fraternity that should guide the sport.
In these particularly difficult times, we must focus more on what unites us than on what might divide us. It is our collective responsibility to uphold this spirit.
Let’s preserve football. Let us preserve respect. Let us preserve fraternity.”
However, it appears that this spirit of fraternity and conciliation is not shared by the Dominican Football Federation (FDF), which announced the following in a statement :
FDF Statement :
“The Dominican Football Federation (FDF) announces that it has filed a formal complaint with the relevant disciplinary bodies of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) regarding incidents that occurred on the pitch during the match between the national teams of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, played on October 1st, 2026.
Furthermore, given the nature of the incidents and the applicable regulations, the FDF has brought the matter to the attention of the relevant bodies of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). The Federation has forwarded the relevant documentation and supporting evidence to the competent bodies, leaving it to them to assess the facts and take appropriate measures in accordance with their regulations.
The FDF reiterates its commitment to upholding the rules and values of football, as well as to strictly respecting the sovereignty of the Dominican Republic, its territorial integrity, and its Constitution—principles that must prevail both on and off the sports field.”
See also :
HL/ BF/ HaitiLibre
