Riyadh: Isa al-Haqami

An investigation by the Saudi Football Federation’s expert panel concluded on Thursday for the management of Al-Ittihad Club, in what is known on the Saudi sports street as a “case of record” submitted by Al-Nasr Club against Al-Ittihad. The latter signed Moroccan striker Abdel Razak Hamdallah after Al-Nasr terminated his contract.

The session, held in Riyadh, lasted 5 hours, during which the President of Al-Ittihad Club, Anmar Al-Hayli, and Abdul Wahab Abed, Hamad Al-Balawi, Director of Football, and Mishal Al-Sayed, First Team Manager, were questioned.

Ahead of the hearing, Abdul Razzaq Hamdallah appeared for the hearing via video call last Tuesday, while his lawyer was at the panel’s headquarters.

Amidst unconfirmed accounts on social media platforms, neither the side nor the professional team has released any statement about the session.

The group confronted the federalists with audio and video recordings made by Al-Nasr on March 28, accusing Al-Ittihad and Hamdallah of negotiating during the validity of its agreement with Al-Nasr.

After Al-Nasr’s complaint, FIFA asked for an opinion on the case in light of each side’s claim for financial compensation amid a contractual dispute between Al-Nasr and Hamdallah last November. regulations.

Hamdallah joined Al-Nasr Club in 2019, in which Al-Nasr won the league and was top scorer, but his status has declined since then, especially in the last two seasons, as problems between the two sides have been rampant. Surprisingly, three weeks later, Al-Ittihad signed the player until Al-Nasr decided to terminate the contractual relationship on November 23.