Basim Jamal Mahmoud Al-Salihi

Basim Jamal (Arabic: باسم جمال‎) is a retired Iraqi Air Force General, most famous for his role at the Iraq Football Association (الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم) as the Secretary of the Iraqi Football Association, he is one of the most experienced sports administrators in the Iraqi sports community, he has achieved many accomplishments during his at tenure several positions in the Iraqi sports field.

Early years

Basim Jamal was born in Wasit, but raised in his father's hometown of Adhamiya, a city in north Baghdad, to a middle-class family that had moved from city to city depending on the father's job responsibilities.

His last name is Al Salihi (الصالحي), which is the name of an Arabian family that go back to AL Jumaili (الجميلي)Tribe, a famous Arabian Tribe that well known in Iraq.

At age 18, Jamal was playing for Al-Talaba Club, known at that time as Al Jamea'a club, then in the early 1970s he joined the Iraqi Military Academy and he was playing for the Academy Football team.

Managerial career

Club management

Between the years 1989-1994, Jamal was Administrative Board member for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, those years were the golden years for this club, a lot of titles were achieved during those years. at 1995, Jamal founded Al defa'a Al Jawi Club, he was the head of the Administrative Board as well as the Secretary of the club, he was able to transfer this newly founded club into well known club In a few years, soccer team was in Iraqi football Premier League, basketball team and the boxing team were the title holders.

In 2002 Jamal was forced to resign from both al Defa'a al Jawe club and the Iraqi Football Association by the head of the Iraqi Sports at that time.

Iraqi Football Association management

1989 was Jamal's first year as a member in the Iraqi Football Association; he was one of the most important members. Without him the Iraqi football National team and the Iraqi football Premier League will fall apart. Due to his honourable personality and the poor relations with the head of the Iraqi sports at that time, Jamal was kept Behind the scenes, the heads don't want him but at the same time they can't survive without him.

Jamal was a member until that last Iraqi Football Association election before the 2003 war against Iraq, he was the second in votes after the head of the sports, according to the internal code for the Iraqi Football Association, Jamal should be either vice president or the secretary, the election result embarrassed the head of the Iraqi sports, so he decided to establish a new position, Assistant Secretary, and Jamal was the first to hold this position.