Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Taawoun has been sanctioned with a two-match home stadium ban and a 100,000 Saudi Riyal (£20,000) fine. The disciplinary action follows an incident during Saturday’s fixture where supporters repeatedly chanted the name of the late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota at Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves.
Jota, who shared a history of playing alongside Neves for Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Portuguese national team, passed away in a car accident last July at age 28. Their close friendship was profound, with Neves serving as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral, wearing the number 21 shirt in his memory, and sporting a calf tattoo depicting them embracing.
Disciplinary and Official Response
- Match Outcome: Al-Hilal secured a 6-0 victory following the incident.
- Neves’ Comment: After the match, the midfielder remarked: “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did.”
- Ronaldo’s Call: Cristiano Ronaldo, an international team-mate of Jota, urged officials to issue lifetime bans to those responsible for the taunts.
- Club Statement: Al-Taawoun condemned the behavior as “completely unacceptable,” stating it fails to reflect the club’s values and emphasizing that sport should not be used to belittle or bully others.
Important Details
- The report also notes that belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone’s feelings, sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting.
