Abu Dhabi, UAE – Shabab Al Ahli Club announced in an official statement the details of the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee’s response to the complaint filed by the club. The complaint stemmed from their match against Machida Zelvia in the AFC Champions League Elite semi-final.
The club explained that the committee’s response was brief, consisting of only one word: “Rejected,” without any detailed explanation or technical justification. This is a striking indication of the nature of the decision.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had informed the club that its protest regarding the refereeing errors in the match had been rejected. The result, a 1-0 defeat for Shabab Al Ahli, was upheld, and the request for a replay or the disallowed goal was denied.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has given Al-Fursan’s management 10 days to request the reasoning behind the decision. This is a prelude to taking the necessary legal action, which could reach the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the decision remains unchanged.
Al Ahli had filed an official protest demanding a replay after their equalizing goal, scored in stoppage time, was disallowed. The protest stemmed from the Japanese team’s incomplete substitution, a decision that sparked widespread controversy.
