A hot crisis has erupted in the past hours between Al Shamal and Al Rayyan due to the conflict over the Swedish coach, Boya Espagi, Al Shamal. Ibrahim Al Sada, the president of Al Shamal club, sparked the crisis after his statements to the league and the cup in which he blamed Al Rayyan for negotiating with the coach.
The president of Al Shamal club said in his statements: We were surprised by Al Rayyan club’s illegal entry to contract with our Swedish coach, Boya Espagi. He added that Al Rayyan incited the coach to terminate his contract with us for the next two seasons, taking advantage of the penalty clause.
Yesterday, Al Rayyan issued a statement on its official website, in which it responded to the accusations of the gentlemen, expressing its strong condemnation and resentment of the malicious accusations made by the presidency of Al Shamal Club through its statements published on Al Kass channels on July 1, 2024, regarding the ongoing negotiations with the Swedish coach Boya Espagi, while the Al Rayyan Club management reserves the right to take all necessary legal measures. In its statement, Al Rayyan explained the circumstances of the crisis as follows:
The head of the football department at Al Shamal Club was contacted – with proof – in the event that they did not object to us starting negotiations with the coach in question, and they did not object as long as the rights of all parties would be preserved. Accordingly, the club took practical steps towards coordinating with all the relevant authorities concerned with sports contracting affairs in the country, according to the coach’s desire to train Al Rayyan Club.
Al Rayyan Club affirms its constant commitment to the highest standards of transparency, professionalism and ethics in all its dealings and negotiations. There was no transgression or ill-intention at any stage of the aforementioned negotiations; in fact, the negotiations would not have been completed had Al Rayyan Club found evidence of Al Shamal Club’s objection to the process. Therefore, we stress the importance and necessity of reviewing all applicable regulations at the local or international levels before making false and baseless accusations.
The statement added: Despite the validity and legitimacy of negotiating or signing with the Swedish coach Boya Espagi by Al Rayyan Club, the statements of the President of Al Shamal Sports Club only confirm the existence of internal poor coordination between the football apparatus of Al Shamal Club and its management, for which Al Rayyan Club bears no responsibility. The statement continued: The Al Rayyan Club management regrets that the situation has reached this unsportsmanlike level of issuing statements that include a shameful attack and false statements that affect the reputation and professionalism of Al Rayyan Club. It would have been more appropriate for the Al Shamal Club management to verify with its football apparatus, and activate communication channels between the two clubs to verify the details of the issue; instead of resorting to the media and practicing an unjustified, undisciplined and unprofessional emotional attack.
Based on the above, Al Rayyan Club will take all means and procedures guaranteed by law to refute the accusations attributed to it by the presidency of Al Shamal Club, prove their invalidity, and restore its legal right within the framework of official litigation channels in the country.
