There is no doubt that the sports commentator bears a great responsibility while commenting on the matches assigned to him on a world-class and popular channel, which is Al-Kass Channel. He is the voice of the audience and the narrator of the event, and he must be professional and impartial, far from transgressions that may arouse the discontent of the fans or negatively affect the image of the clubs. And the players. However, what happened recently from commentator Khalil Al-Balushi during his comment on the match between Al-Arabi and Al-Duhail in the tenth round of the Qatar Stars League, was a clear departure from the text and a clear departure from the spirit of the profession, and we remember that it is not the first with parties and institutions that were dissatisfied with his words and were closer to resolving disputes in the corridors. Courts!
Al-Balushi, known for his innovation and distinction, got himself into a major dilemma when he deviated from his role as a commentator and turned into a social and political analyst for the affairs of the Al-Arabi Club, claiming that the club was suffering from internal divisions between three warring parties!
This unjustified statement was nothing but a personal and irresponsible projection against a major sporting entity with a history and achievements, which sparked widespread anger among Al-Arabi fans and prompted the club to issue an official statement in which it affirmed its internal unity and the cohesion of its members and fans behind the team in various circumstances.
“It made matters worse”
The problem did not stop here, but rather worsened when Al-Balushi failed to deal with the widespread criticism he received. Instead of apologizing to Al-Arabi fans and its management or remaining silent, which is the least he could do in such situations, he decided to appear in a video full of narcissism and arrogance, describing himself as the most influential. In the field of sports commentary, it is as if he is trying to further provoke the club and its fans. This behavior reflects a clear lack of humility and respect for others, and raises question marks over his understanding of his role as a sports commentator.
“A challenge to the public entity”
For Al-Balushi to put himself in a confrontation with a mass entity the size of Al-Arabi Club is a grave and unforgivable mistake. . Al Arabi is not just a sports club, but rather a historical and cultural symbol in Qatari sports, and it has a broad and passionate fan base that does not accept harming the club’s reputation or insulting it in any way, even if it is on the same scale as We Heard, They Said, They Say!.
What the dear commentator Khalil Al Balushi did can only be interpreted as an individual, uncalculated act that indicates the absence of wisdom and clear vision in dealing with sensitive situations.
A brilliant commentator must realize that his primary role is to present the event in a professional and impartial manner, and not to be drawn into personal opinions or hints that may spark controversy. Khalil Al-Balushi, despite his distinction in previous times, lost his impartiality and professionalism this time, and harmed himself before harming the Al-Arabi Club.
Our message to the fans of Al-Arabi Club is that the best response to such transgressions is to continue to support the club with full force and to ignore actions that aim to destabilize or cause confusion.
As for the message from the dear and honorable commentator Khalil Al-Balushi, it is a sincere call to learn from mistakes and reconsider his style, because the sports commentator, whatever his influence, remains a servant of sports and a source of inspiration for the fans, and is not a party to conflicts, and this is not possible through a large platform like the Al-Kass TV channel. He takes off the mantle of a commentator and wears the mantle of a fan, regardless of the result of the match or its circumstances and events. Because he who is silent about the truth is a mute devil, as he said, we write instead of remaining silent about all transgressions.