Wesley Sneidjer (left) and referee Abdull Ali Athba in this file picture of November 8.
DOHA: Al Gharafa captain and Dutch star Wesley Sneijder has won a reprieve after it was announced that the Disciplinary Committee of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) cancelled the red card he received during his team’s last QNB Stars League match.
On November 8, former champions Al Gharafa beat Qatar SC 2-0 but the win was marred by the marching orders for Sneidjer by referee Abdull Ali Athba. An angry Sneijder was seen storming off the pitch at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium after receiving the red card.
The next day, the hugely popular Dutchman tweeted: “While playing a football match I reacted in the heat of the moment to a red card I did not deserve. However, to counter any false media speculations: I enjoy living and playing football in Qatar!”
In its weekly meeting under the chairmanship of Hassan Al Hammadi, the QFA’s Disciplinary Committee yesterday announced the following decisions after reviewing the reports of the match referees.
The Disciplinary Committee decided to cancel the red card of Sneijder on the recommendation in the report from the referees’ from the match played last week, a report on qfa.com.qa wesbite said.
According to Article 85/3 of the Disciplinary Regulations, the committee decided to draw the attention of the player to his unsportsmanlike departure from the pitch after leaving the game against Qatar SC in the 12th week of the QNB Stars League.
In another decision, Al Sailiya’s experienced Moroccan midfielder Tiberkanine Rachid was suspended for two matches and fined QR 20,000, for his rough play against Umm Salal which took place on November 9th in the 12th week QNB Stars League. The Disciplinary Committee also decided that Al Markhiya player Abdulkarim Ahmed Juma has been suspended for one match and fined QR 2,000 for his poor behaviour in a match against Al-Bidda match in the sixth round of the Second Division.
