Talaba vows legal comeback after controversial Oil clash in Iraq’s Premier League

Disciplinary ruling and Talaba’s claims of unfairness

The Iraqi Football Association’s disciplinary committee reviewed the Oil vs Talaba fixture from September 25 at the Saher Ahmed Radi Stadium. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, but Talaba were subsequently ruled to have lost 0-3 due to a misregistered jersey number for a player who appeared in the game, with a five million dinar fine and a potential appeal on the table.

The observer’s report stated that Talaba fielded Mustafa Mohammed Man with the number 34, while the official lineup listed number 32; the player had a booking in minute 16, and after logging the booking it appeared there is no player with number 34 in their squad, indicating a roster submission error.

According to Article 56-N of the disciplinary and ethics regulations, any breach by the league or match organizers that results in a player’s participation shall be borne by the club administration and the match official involved.

As a result, the committee declared Talaba the loser 0-3 and fined them five million Iraqi dinars under 56-2, with the option to appeal the decision.

Talaba’s statement

The Talaba administration said the disciplinary decision is unfair, arguing that the player was legally registered in both the federation’s rosters and the club’s official records; the only issue was the jersey number, not the player’s identity. They added that the player was registered as a Talaba player in the federation, and they will pursue all legal avenues to reclaim their rights.

The statement also criticized the timing of the announcement, suggesting the decision lacks proper legal grounding and calling for accountability within the disciplinary body. The club affirmed it would file an appeal with the relevant authorities to defend its reputation and rights.

Other disciplinary decisions

In addition, the committee ruled on several other matters from the same round. It addressed a case involving Naft Maysan’s administrator Mohammad Zair, who entered the pitch and used abusive language toward the referee; he was removed from the field, and the committee suspended him for three matches while imposing a five-million-dinar fine under Articles 62 and 47-2-b.

The panel also warned Al-Shorta for not bringing a match ball and for a two-minute kickoff delay in the Duhok fixture.

Regarding the Naft Maysan vs Erbil match, the observer noted a confrontation involving Naft Maysan officials and the referee, and separate issues included crowd behavior where fans of Al-Minaa hurled water bottles at Erbil players after a goal in minute 60; warnings were issued to Al-Minaa to prevent recurrence. The Noroz club and Naft Maysan were cautioned for delays and stadium-related issues, underscoring the league’s stance on maintaining order and proper match operations.

Overall, the committee urged adherence to regulations and professionalism, emphasizing that independence and fairness are essential to the league’s credibility. The administrative side of the clubs vows to continue pursuing available legal channels to defend their rights and ensure due process.

Punchline 1: In football, numbers don’t just add up on the scoreboard—they also double as drama props, apparently. Punchline 2: If roster clerks ever get an award, it’ll be for turning a simple lineup into a legal thriller with extra drama, courtesy of the numbers department.