https://arab.news/y9h5m
- Saudi team refused to play game as Iranian opponent鈥檚 stadium bore political messages, pitchside bust of late Qassem Soleimani
RIYADH: The Asian Football Confederation has officially awarded Al-Ittihad a 3-0 win over Sepahan after their AFC Champions League match on Oct. 2 was abandoned when the Saudi club鈥檚 players refused to take to the pitch due to the presence of a statue of the late head of Iran鈥檚 Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, inside the stadium.
The AFC鈥檚 decision came after an investigation concluded that Sepahan had breached the governing body鈥檚 fair play regulations by placing pictures and statues of a political nature inside the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium in Isfahan.
The Iranian club has been fined $200,000 and banned from playing the rest of its home matches in the 2023 AFC Champions League at their stadium.
With the three points added to their tally, Al-Ittihad now lead Group C with nine points, five ahead of Sepahan in second.