Ronaldo's "controversial" goal enters the decision room: a final verdict that cannot be appealed

within hours

Tareq Kayyal, head of the compliance committee at the Saudi Pro League, has refused to rely solely on the referees' committee report regarding the goal credited to Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo during the match against Al-Fayha in the 11th round of the Saudi Roshn League. The committee, he stressed, is awaiting an official statement from match referee Abdullah Al-Owaidan to determine who scored.

Speaking to Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiyah", Kayyal said the committee will examine every report linked to the incident. Controversy has swirled over whether Ronaldo truly scored or whether the ball crept into the net off Al-Fayha defender Andre Giroto.

He added that the committee is waiting on the referee's statement today, Monday, before taking its final decision. The goal will be registered in line with whatever the review of the reports concludes, and the decision will then go to the league for official approval.

Details of the referees' committee report stayed under wraps. Kayyal refused to reveal who is credited with the goal in the current records, stressing that the compliance committee's ruling will be final and non-appealable. No club or party, he insisted, will have the right to object.

Monday's meeting will also review last round's reports, including those from the media coordinators, the match coordinators and the stadium managers, to flag any violations and apply the penalties set out in the regulations.

Numerous decisions have been issued since the start of the season that the committee keeps from the public, Kayyal revealed. Every ruling, he stressed, rests on full conviction of its validity, free from affiliations and inclinations. He pointed to Al-Ahli as the club hit with more fines from the committee than any other since the campaign began.