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Rabat – The Saudi Football Federation has announced plans to review its regulations concerning fan behavior following an incident at the Saudi Super Cup final where a fan struck Moroccan player Abderrazak Hamdallah with a whip.
The incident occurred after the final whistle of the match, which saw Al-Hilal defeat Al-Ittihad 4-1 in Abu Dhabi. Hamdallah, who scored Al-Ittihad’s only goal, was involved in a scuffle with a fan who retaliated to the player spraying him with water by striking him with a whip.
The situation heated up quickly, drawing intervention from players, security personnel, and other spectators to prevent further escalation.
Following the incident, videos capturing the altercation quickly went viral on social media platforms. The videos sparked outrage among fans, many of whom condemned the incident as fueled by racism against Hamdallah.
The Saudi Football Federation and the Players Association released a joint statement condemning the “shameful scenes” and emphasizing the priority of ensuring the safety of everyone during matches.
The statement highlighted that football in Saudi Arabia is a “family sport,” and such incidents of fan misconduct are rare. It reaffirmed the commitment to uphold the values of Saudi football and pledged a comprehensive review of spectator conduct rules.
The review aims to update regulations and introduce effective penalties to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Saudi Arabia has been making significant strides in global sports as it has attracted international stars recently. This including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Yassine Bounou.
In addition, the Gulf country is a leading candidate to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
