The altercation occurred after Al-Ittihad's defeat to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup tournament in Abu Dhabi. Images captured the striker, Abderrazak Hamdallah, throwing water at a fan, who then proceeded to strike the player twice with what appears to be a belt.
Abderrazak Hamdallah, who represents Morocco, scored for his team in the 4-1 loss.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) expressed shock and dismay at the shameful incident, emphasizing that football in Saudi Arabia is a family sport and such fan violence is rare.
SAFF stated, "That's why the actions of this fan go against everything that Saudi football represents, and we strongly condemn this incident." They further announced a comprehensive review of fan conduct regulations to ensure that enhanced laws and rules are implemented swiftly to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for stricter measures to maintain safetyand sportsmanship in football matches.
