The disciplinary committee upholds Neves's dignity with a strict penalty on Al-Taawoun's fans

Al-Taawoun's suffering deepens

The Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has drawn a line under the crisis over the offensive chants aimed at Portugal's Ruben Neves, the Al-Hilal midfielder, during the match against Al-Taawoun. A decisive ruling against the club over the conduct of some of its supporters closed the matter.

The Disciplinary and Ethics Committee handed Al-Taawoun a fine of 100,000 riyals, payable to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. It also barred the team from having its supporters present for two consecutive matches at its home ground.

The chants a group of Al-Taawoun supporters directed at Neves during the match triggered the decision. They exploited the death of his compatriot and friend Diogo Jota, an incident that sparked widespread anger within Saudi sporting circles and beyond.

The committee did not stop at the financial penalty. Barring Al-Taawoun from having its supporters for two consecutive matches at home will leave the stands empty in two upcoming fixtures, a clear message against the exploitation of personal tragedies in sport.

Al-Hilal had lodged an official complaint with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation after the incident. Al-Taawoun issued a statement confirming its outright rejection of the offensive chants, stressing that they were individual acts that do not represent the club or its supporters. The club also announced its readiness to take the necessary measures against those responsible.

There is no appeal. The Disciplinary and Ethics Committee confirmed the ruling against Al-Taawoun is definitively enforceable, ending the controversy and shutting down the crisis over chants that provoked such indignation because of their connection to Neves's grief over Jota's death.