Despite their best efforts – which included slander, hate speech and the liberal mixing of politics with sport – Saudi Arabia and the UAE have failed to convince the Asian Football Federation (AFC) to either scrap the home and away format of the Asian Champions League or have their club teams’ matches with Qatari teams played on neutral venues.
Gulf Times had reported on Friday that the Saudis, fully aware that they won’t have their way, had changed their stubborn stand and agreed to send their teams to Qatar for their matches against Qatari teams as scheduled.
And yesterday, the AFC itself confirmed that the Asian Champions League would indeed be played on a home and away basis as decided earlier.
“The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee has decided that the AFC Champions League matches involving clubs from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should be played on a home and away basis in 2018 as per the AFC Regulations,” the AFC said in a statement on its website.
“The Executive Committee decided at their meeting in November 2017 in Bangkok to follow the home and away format as per regulations and an AFC delegation led by Senior Vice President Praful Patel, accompanied by AFC Executive Committee members Mariano Araneta Junior and Dr Tran Quoc Tuan, visited Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in early January to explain the decision,” the AFC said.
“At the same time a specialist international risk agency was asked to provide an independent and impartial assessment on the safety and security of the countries involved and the impact on the AFC competitions – particularly the home and away format
“The AFC Executive Committee has decided that the home and away format – as per AFC Regulations and in line with their November 2017 decision – should be followed,” the continental body added.
Yesterday, AFC General Secretary Windsor John sent out a letter to top FIFA and AFC officials, saying that the format of the tournament stays “as per normal practice.”
John also hinted that reports prepared by experts said outside teams faced no risk playing in Qatar. Gulf Times is publishing Windsor’s letter along with this report.
Qatari authorities have also dismissed security fears, saying that thousands of events have been hosted in the country without an single untoward incident taking place.
Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal have been placed with Qatar’s Al Rayyan in Group D of the AFC Champions League beginning February 12. Qatar’s Al Sadd figure in Group C along with the UAE’s Al Wasl for company, while in Group B Qatar’s Al Duhail are pitted against UAE’s Al Wahda.
As the tournament progresses, other Saudi clubs could also be pitted against Qatari teams, depending on their performances in the group stage.
