OFA Disciplinary Committee rejects Seeb protest over Ibri players

MUSCAT, FEB 25
The Disciplinary Committee of the Oman Football Association (OFA) has rejected Seeb Club’s protest concerning the eligibility of three players who featured for Ibri Club in their domestic top-tier Jindal League fixture.
The decision followed a review of a complaint previously submitted by Seeb on February 8, in which the club alleged that the three players had participated illegally, citing what it described as invalid contracts and a breach of Fifa regulations, the OFA Statutes, and the principles of sporting integrity and equal opportunity. Seeb had requested a formal investigation and that Ibri be considered to have forfeited the match.
In its ruling, the committee stated that it examined all documents and procedures related to the registration of the three players, including the circumstances surrounding the formation of Ibri’s temporary board of directors. The committee found that the initial contracts were signed on February 1 by a representative of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, which was overseeing the club’s affairs at the time.

It further noted that on February 4, new contracts signed by the chairman of the temporary board were submitted to rectify the legal status of the earlier agreements. The relevant department at the OFA uploaded the updated contracts to the electronic system during the valid registration period, replacing the previous versions.
According to the committee, the three players took part in the match held on February 7, three days after the completion and approval of the corrected registration procedures by the Players’ Status Committee. As such, it concluded that the protest lacked legal basis, as the initial contracts had been superseded by duly approved agreements.
Seeb are expected to file an appeal against the decision, arguing that the committee acknowledged the existence of earlier non-compliant contracts and that the players had already been issued registration cards. The club also maintains that signing two contracts for the same players contradicts established regulations.
Separately, reports indicated that Ibri Club had earlier warned of a possible withdrawal from OFA competitions should any ruling infringe upon what it described as its legally completed and officially approved procedures.