Saudi football body vows action against Jota chants
Cristiano Ronaldo called for life bans after rival fans taunted Al-Hilal's Ruben Neves over the death of his friend and former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota.
Saudi Arabia's football authorities have vowed to take action following chants by rival fans taunting Al-Hilal player Ruben Neves about the death of his friend and former Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota. Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese player, called for life bans after hearing the chants during Al-Hilal's 6-0 win over Al-Taawoun on Saturday.
Jota, a Liverpool and Portugal forward, passed away in a car crash last year. Neves, 29, reacted by giving a sarcastic thumbs-up and applause, warning the offenders not to attend matches again. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and the Saudi Pro League condemned the fans' behavior, stating that exploiting personal tragedies for abuse or provocation is unacceptable.
The relevant committees have identified the conduct and will take necessary action per regulations. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted in Saudi Arabia, with the country having invested nearly $2 billion in football over three years.
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- Saudi football body vows action against Jota chants freemalaysiatoday.com
