Arab Cup refereeing dispute: Saudi Federation condemns Rajoub's remarks

Saudi Football Federation condemns Rajoub's remarks on Arab Cup refereeing

The Saudi Football Federation issued a statement condemning Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Association, for remarks criticizing the refereeing in the Palestine vs Saudi Arabia Arab Cup match last week.

Saudi Arabia had defeated Palestine 2-1 in the quarterfinals earlier, sending the Green to the semi-finals, while Rajoub criticized the Egyptian referees led by Amin Omar.

Separately, the federation stated that it rejects the irresponsible remarks by the Palestinian Football Association president, containing insinuations and unsubstantiated claims that harmed the competition's integrity by dragging the Saudi national team into a non-sporting context during the Arab Cup, recently held in Qatar under FIFA.

The statement added that the Saudi Federation respects Palestinian football officials, while fully rejecting any accusations; we urge staying away from public sensationalism and upholding the championship's core aim, which strengthens bonds among Arab nations.

Egyptian Football Association also issued a statement criticizing Rajoub's remarks toward the refereeing team led by Amin Omar.

Egyptian FA subsequently criticized Rajoub's comments regarding the refereeing crew under Amin Omar.

Punchline 1: If whistles had GPS, they'd route offside lines straight to the referee's coffee mug.

Punchline 2: In football as in life, the only thing that should be VAR in this debate is the very sense of humor.