Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officially announced the victory of Saudi club Al-Ittihad over Iran’s Sepahan FC 3-0 in the Asian Champions League match that was cancelled following the Iranian club’s violation of the rules and regulations. The match, scheduled to be held on October 2, 2023, was canceled due to the objection of Al-Ittihad officials to the presence of a statue and pictures bearing a political nature inside the stadium.

The Asian Football Confederation ruled that Al-Ittihad should be awarded a 3-0 win and that Sepahan Isfahan should pay a fine of $200,000. According to the reports, Sepahan was also banned from hosting its next three Asian Champions League matches at home. The AFC's decision came after it was revealed in the investigation by the Disciplinary Committee that the Sepahan Club had violated the AFC's regulations by placing pictures and statues of a political nature inside the match stadium, which is considered as a violation of the rules of fair play.

Based on the AFC’s decision, the Iranian club is obligated to pay a fine of $200,000, and it is also banned from playing the rest of its matches in the 2023 AFC Champions League at its stadium.

This decision is considered as a victory for the Jeddah-based Al-Ittihad Club, the defending Saudi Pro League Champions. This decision confirms the AFC’s keenness to implement the rules of fair play and prevent any political interference in football.

Al Ittihad was set to play Sepahan on Oct. 2 but did not come out onto the field in Isfahan, where some 60,000 fans were in attendance. According to media reports, they refused to come out because of a statue of the late Gen. Qassem Soleimani placed outside the entrance tunnel. Sepahan said in a statement that it will file an official complaint with the AFC, challenging its disciplinary action.