The Saudi Football federation has issued the following directives: * Wagner and Ittihad assistant coach Branko, are to be suspended for two games. * Ittihad's home game against Hilal is to be moved to Riyadh!!!!! * Point Ahli's attention to Khaled Badra's conduct in the Ittihad Ahli game. * Noor's "suspension" to be lifted. I can sort of agree with the decision on Wagner. He did elbow a player. But what did the assistant coach do? But what really gets my goat is the relocation of Hilal game. First of all, while not condoning it, fans throwing plastic bottles on the pitch is not the same as racist chanting (like Hilal v Ittihad) or invading the pitch and trashing the stadium (like Hilal v Faisali). But even if we're to agree that Ittihad should play a game without their fans, it should be played either in an empty stadium or a neutral venue.
If there are clear rules and guidlines then we'll all sleep better, but this random shit just drives me nutts! However, I see no difference between racist chants and throwing stuff onto the pitch, its shamefull no matter who does it, and all Saudi fans have done it at least once in the past. But I cannot give an honest opinion unless I see a list of all past crimes and punishments, just so I could compare. (no doubt the Hilalis got a couple of lenient rulings). But what did Branko do, I didnt see anything?
If they are going to let the game be played in Riyadh, then Ittihadi fans must have the advantage in sitting in the good seats, since it is still considered a home game for them, but only in Riyadh, the ads will be for Ittihad, and the cost too.
That's the biggest problem. There's no rule of law. I'm not condoning throwing bottles on the pitch, but the punishment has to fit the crime. You can't compare an incident where bottles were thrown on the pitch (but it wasn't so bad the game had to be suspended) with the carnage that happened in the Hilal Faisali game (where fans stormed the ground and trashed the stadium) or the racist chants (where a large section of the fans were involved). Yet SAFF has seen fit to punish them to the exact same degree!!! Plus, punishing one team shouldn't also reward others. I have no idea.