A legal expert confirms the violation... Tony and Galeno's statements open the door to accountability... Will they face punishment?
Al-Ahly player Galeno has placed himself in the circle of legal controversy with his statement in which he hinted at a move to exclude his team from the competition, after the statement was widely circulated and interpretations regarding his intentions escalated, given the sensitivity of the competition for the league title.
According to sports lawyers, such statements may be interpreted as questioning the integrity of the competition or indirect abuse, which may fall under disciplinary regulations, opening the door to the possibility of investigation or imposing penalties ranging from fines to suspension, depending on the extent of the violation and the context of the statement.
The reactions indicate that the hints were directed towards Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo, without official confirmation, which increased the sensitivity of the situation.
The statement comes after Al-Ahli fans expressed anger over the referee's decisions in the Al-Ahli vs. Al-Fayha match, which ended in a draw and removed the team from the race for second place, putting the player before a legal test that may determine the fate of this controversy.
For his part, legal advisor Salman Al-Rumali confirmed in an urgent interview with Okaz that the statements of players Ivan Toni and his teammate Galino constitute a direct accusation that affects the integrity of the competition and is an insult to the Saudi League, stressing the need to deal with it in accordance with the approved regulatory frameworks.
Al-Ramali explained that the Disciplinary and Ethics Regulations, specifically Article (5/50), stipulate that such cases shall be punished by suspension for a period not exceeding one year, in addition to a financial penalty that may reach 300,000 riyals, if the violation is proven.
He pointed out that the current stage requires a firm stance from the Disciplinary Committee, through the clear and transparent application of the system, stressing that the absence of a decision may be interpreted as tacit acceptance, which will reflect on the image of the competition and the confidence of the followers.
Al-Ramali concluded by saying that the reputation of the Saudi League is at stake today, and a formal decision is the primary guarantee for protecting it.
Al Ahly player Galeno has placed himself in a legal controversy with his statement, which hinted at a trend to distance his team from competition, after the statement was widely circulated and interpretations regarding its intent escalated, amid the sensitivity of the race for the league title.
According to opinions from sports legal experts, such statements could be interpreted as questioning the integrity of the competition or as indirect defamation, which may fall under disciplinary regulations, opening the door to the possibility of an investigation or imposing penalties ranging from fines to suspensions, depending on the extent of the violation and the context of the statement.
Interactions indicate that the hints were directed towards Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo, without official confirmation, which heightened the sensitivity of the situation.
The statement comes following a wave of anger from Al Ahly regarding the referee's decisions in the match against Al-Fayha, which ended in a draw and pushed the team out of the race for second place, placing the player in a legal test that may determine the fate of this controversy.
For his part, legal advisor Salman Al-Rammali confirmed in an urgent talk to “Okaz” that the statements from players Ivan Toney and his teammate Galeno constitute a direct accusation that affects the integrity of the competition and is an offense to the Saudi league, stressing the need to address them according to the approved legal frameworks.
Al-Rammali explained that the disciplinary and ethics regulations, specifically Article (5/50), stipulate punishing such cases with a suspension of no more than one year, in addition to a fine financial that may reach 300,000 riyals, if the violation is proven.
He pointed out that the current stage requires a firm stance from the Disciplinary Committee, through the clear and transparent application of the regulations, emphasizing that the absence of a decision could be interpreted as implicit acceptance, which would reflect negatively on the image of the competition and the confidence of the followers.
Al-Rammali concluded that the reputation of the Saudi league is at stake today, and that regulatory decisiveness is the primary guarantee for its protection.
