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Rabat – The head of Saudi Arabia’s General Sports Authority Turki Al-Sheikh has doubled down on his provocations and unfriendly comments regarding Morocco’s bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a new Tweet that is creating controversy, Al Sheikh, who is also advisor to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, said tacitly that Morocco was mistaken when he choose not side with Saudi Arabia in its feud with Qatar, implying that his country would not vote for Morocco’s bid to host the World Cup.
“Some people went astray. If you want support, you should seek it in Riyadh. What you are doing is wasting your time. Now ask the pseud-state to help you. A message from the Gulf to the Ocean,” Al Sheikh said in his Tweet.
???? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ????? ?? “???????” ?????…! ????? ?? ?????? ? ?????? .
— ???? ?? ????? (@Turki_alalshikh) March 18, 2018
This Tweet was posted while his adviser, Tallal Al Sheikh, was meeting with the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, Faouzi Lekjaa in Rabat. Following the meeting, and in attempt to end the controversy, Tallal Al Sheikh said that Saudi Arabia would vote for Morocco’s bid on June 13.
However, at the time of writing, Turki Al Sheikh, Tallal’s boss, has still not removed his Tweets.
In another Tweet he posted earlier today, Al Sheikh said that none of the bidders who submitted their files to host the 2026 World Cup requested Saudi Arabia’s support.
Al-Sheikh wrote on his Twitter that the World Cup bidders did not ask for Saudi Arabia’s support. However, the Saudi official did not deny that his country will support the bid that it will serve its interests.
“If someone ever asks, we will look for Saudi Arabia’s interests first,” he added.
?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? 2026
??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ????…??
????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? …!— ???? ?? ????? (@Turki_alalshikh) March 18, 2018
Al-Sheikh echoed a statement he made in an interview with the Saudi-based sports news outlet Arriyadiyah earlier this week.
“Friendship and fraternity have been very detrimental to the Saudis…what really matters to me is that the 2026 World Cup needs to be hosted in the best conditions.”
A Middle East analyst who asked to speak on the condition of anonymity told MWN earlier this week that Saudi official statement is hardly surprising.
“As the Saudi Crown Prince needs the support of the Trump administration to consolidate his power, the interest of Saudi Arabia lies in supporting the US-led bid, thus returning the favor to an American administration that has proved instrumental in his rise to power,” he added.
