Agreement on the dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions in the Roshan League
In a notable development within the Saudi Professional League, Al-Ettifaq FC a strongly worded official statement via its official social media account, expressing its astonishment and deep displeasure with the refereeing decisions in its recent match against Al-Fayha FC. This match, part of the 26th round of the league, ended with a single goal being awarded to the opposing team, a goal that sparked widespread controversy in sporting circles.
Details of the incident and the position of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology
The club explained in its statement that the goal was awarded following a clear and blatant foul, namely a push on their player, Andrei Duda, just before the goal was scored. What particularly angered the Al-Ettifaq management was the failure of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to intervene and disallow the goal, despite the clear replay. This had a direct and significant impact on the course of the match and its final result, depriving the team of the opportunity to secure a positive outcome and improve their position in the league standings.
General context and history of foreign referees in Saudi stadiums
This incident has reignited the ongoing debate about the standard of refereeing in Saudi football. Historically, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has allowed clubs to use foreign referees in their matches, aiming to increase transparency and reduce public and media pressure on local referees, especially in major competitive games. Many Saudi clubs have resorted to this option in recent seasons to ensure the highest levels of fairness, particularly given the league's rapid development and its attraction of international stars.
The importance of the event and its impact on the ambitions of the agreement
This demand is of paramount importance given its sensitive timing; the match comes at a crucial stage of the current season. The Al-Ettifaq first football team is engaged in fierce competition to secure a top position in the Roshan League standings, which would qualify them for participation in international (Asian and regional) tournaments next season. Losing any points at this stage could jeopardize the efforts of an entire season, which explains the strong reaction from the management to protect the team's achievements.
Accumulation of errors and demands for radical solutions
This statement was not a spur-of-the-moment reaction to the Al-Fayha match alone. The Al-Ettifaq club management confirmed that the team has suffered a series of impactful refereeing errors throughout the current season. The management indicated that it had dealt with these previous incidents professionally and with a high degree of institutional responsibility, by documenting the observations and officially submitting them to the relevant authorities within the Referees Committee, hoping for their resolution and an effective contribution to the development of the Saudi refereeing system. However, these efforts have not yielded a clear response or concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of these errors.
Expected impact and next steps
Domestically, this statement is expected to put additional pressure on the Saudi Football Federation's referees committee to review the performance of its referees and intensify development programs. Internationally, with the world's attention focused on the Saudi Professional League (SPL), which enjoys unprecedented global viewership, the quality of refereeing has become a fundamental requirement, no less important than the quality of the players, to maintain the league's reputation and marketing value.
In closing, Al-Ettifaq Club's management confirmed its decision to officially request foreign referees for all remaining league matches. They emphasized that this decision will remain in effect until full confidence is restored in the level of local referees, ensuring the highest standards of competitive fairness and protecting the rights of the club and its fans.
