JEDDAH — The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) issued an official statement on Tuesday, confirming its close monitoring of developments concerning the scheduled AFC Champions League match between Al-Ittihad and Sepahan Isfahan.
In the statement, SAFF expressed unwavering solidarity with Al-Ittihad, emphasizing its commitment to safeguarding the club's legal rights. The federation also praised the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for its diligent efforts to ensure suitable conditions for the match and acknowledged the continuous oversight provided by its representatives who accompanied Al-Ittihad to Iran.
SAFF concluded the statement by assuring its full support for Al-Ittihad and its commitment to pursuing all available legal avenues to protect the club's rights.
Al-Ittihad had decided not to participate in the match against Sepahan Isfahan after being informed by an AFC observer that the game would not proceed as scheduled, allowing the team the option to leave the field.
In a subsequent press release following the team's return to Jeddah, Al-Ittihad confirmed their departure from the field and expressed their intention to thoroughly investigate the decision. The club also called upon the AFC to uphold the rights guaranteed by regulations and rules.
Al-Ittihad extended gratitude for the support received from the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Iran, the Ministry of Sports, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
Al-Ittihad's return to Jeddah took place after midnight on Tuesday. It's worth noting that the club abstained from participating in the match against Sepahan due to reported legal violations in the stadium.
