The management of Al-Ansar Sports Club, led by Nabil Badr and attended by the majority of members, raised a series of questions regarding the events of the last match and the systematic steps that they described as a "theft" of the club's rights.
The statement read: "It is no longer a secret that Al-Ansar has been subjected this season to a systematic 'theft' by the Football Association, and what happened yesterday was merely part of a series that concluded with the worst production."
The management asked: "Why was Al-Ansar not allowed to participate in the King Salman Arab Football Championship? Especially since this is a right that was stolen from us in broad daylight, as we finished in second place in the standings last season, which legally qualifies us to represent Lebanon in the Arab competition."
They continued: "Our right to Asian representation was stolen when we were denied a clear penalty in the match against the brother team Al-Nigmeh, acknowledged by union members and the head of the refereeing committee. This could have significantly changed the course of the match and thus the overall standings before the final encounter."
The members commented on the cancellation of a legitimate goal that brought Al-Ansar back into the match, and expressed surprise when they searched for the history of this referee, discovering he was unknown. They asked: "Who brought this referee to Lebanon? What was he doing in Lebanon in 2017?"
The statement concluded: "We in the management of Al-Ansar Club have reached a clear conclusion that such a federation is no longer fit to manage the game due to a lack of trust in its ability to effect change, and because its members prioritize their personal interests over the interests of the clubs and the game. The protests from the fans during the match were a result of the refereeing errors that no sane person can tolerate. By the way, we salute Al-Ansar's fans who stood behind the team throughout the championship. Even if we lose a thousand championships, we respect those fans who are a critical factor and a model of discipline and high morals throughout history. However, when they are wronged in front of everyone, they will not remain silent about their right to the joy that was unjustly and treacherously taken from them."
