Tag: Saoud Al-Mohannadi

Sour grapes: UAE files a protest against Qatar Team players eligibility.

The UAE Football Federation officially challenged the eligibility of some Qatari players who appeared for the Qatar National Football team in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 hosted by UAE. The written protest was given to AFC within the permitted time after the semi-final of the Asian Cup. The complaint  is yet another layer to Qatar’s politically-charged progress to the finals in the UAE, which as a country is part of a quartet boycotting Doha socially, economically,  and politically. The UAE Federation has attached the required documents to confirm the validity of the appeal before 48 hours of the match finishing time, which was held on Tuesday. According to Emarati media, the UAE football federation prepared a file containing official documents proving act of fraud by Qatar in the naturalization of several players, specifically Iraqi Bassam Al-Rawi and Sudanese AlMoez Ali. Qatar comprehensively defeated host UAE  4-0 in the semi-finals amid shameful scenes from the hostile and abusive local fans which started from booing the national anthem of Qatar, to throwing objects at Qatar players and chanting abusive politically driven chants in the stands. The official campaign of ill treatment of Qatar began before any ball was kicked in the tournament starting with denying access to 5 Qatari journalist and then Saoud al-Mohannadi , the Qatari official and senior Asian Cup tournament organizer was denied entry 24 hours earlier, amid a simmering diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Saoud al-Mohannadi, is vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Qatar Football Association, he is also standing for the upcoming election of AFC presidency against the current president Salman bin Khalifa. While the Asian Cup was being played, there was hardly any day without UAE media news and editorials attacking Qatar in an orchestrated move by the authorities to undermine the gas-rich Persian Gulf State and disturb the team’s concentration. The effect of political conflict cum animosity was clearly felt in the Mohammed Bin Zayed stadium among the local fans. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain are the four countries that have broken diplomatic relations with Qatar and closed all their skies, ports and land access to Qatari vehicles, goods and people. There was no Qatari fans in any of the Qatar matches, however small pockets of Omani fans shown their support for Qatar during this tournament. There was no Qatari press or photographers in the UAE.

FIFA proposes two-and-a-half-year ban for Qatar official Al-Mohannadi

A two-and-a-half-year ban and a CHF 20,000 fine have been suggested by FIFA after an investigation into Qatar official Saoud Al-Mohannadi. 

FIFA's Ethics Committee has recommended a two-and-a-half-year ban from football for Qatar Football Association (QFA) vice-president Saoud Al-Mohannadi who is running against Ali Kaffashian as AFC candidate in FIFA's Executive Committee. 

World football's governing body has investigated the QFA official for an alleged failure to cooperate fully with a separate anti-corruption probe.

"The investigation against Mr Al-Mohannadi concerned his failure to properly cooperate and provide truthful information to the investigatory chamber in the framework of another investigation not related to the awarding of the 2022 FIFA World Cup," a FIFA statement read.

"In his final report, the chief of the investigation recommends imposing a ban of no less than two years and six months and a fine of no less than CHF 20,000 on Mr Al-Mohannadi for an alleged violation of art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting) and art. 42 (General obligation to collaborate) of the FIFA Code of Ethics. 

"Until a formal decision is taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, the accused party is presumed innocent."

Al-Mohannadi had been the general secretary of the QFA when its bid to host the 2022 World Cup was launched.

He had been approved as a candidate to run for a place on FIFA's ruling council this month, having last year withdrawn from the race for the Executive Committee claiming he did not want to divide support for West Asian candidates.

Al-Mohannadi is the second Qatari official to be involved in a major corruption scandal involving FIFA. Mohammad Bin Hammam was banned for life for bribing his way to FIFA Presidency election in December 2012. Although FIFA was not forthcoming about the details of Al-Mohannadi's misdemeanour, it is believed that the Vice President and the strongman of QFA has hidden documents, falsified records and used strong-arm tactics and direct threats against anyone revealing incriminating evidence that would have harmed QATAR hosting of the 2022 World Cup.