MUSCAT: Oman Football Association (OFA) on Monday strongly condemned the unprovoked attack and the use of threatening and intimidating language towards the Omani international referee Ahmed Al-Kaf and his assistants following the match between the Bahraini national team and its Indonesian counterpart in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

The referee did not blow the final whistle after the designated six-minute added time in the second half, when Indonesia was leading 2-1 in Bahrain National Stadium on Thursday night. This sparked outrage among Indonesia’s coaching staff and players at full-time.

In a statement issued on Monday, OFA said: “We affirm its absolute rejection of such out-of-context behavior by a number of fans and some relevant parties, warning of the consequences of these out-of-context behaviors, stressing the commitment of the Omani staff throughout their honorable history to the utmost levels of professionalism and applying the highest levels of transparency, integrity and impartiality in line with international standards. This is what qualified them to become referees of the Asian elite.”

“Oman Football Association calls on FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to assume their responsibility in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations to protect the referees and ensure their security and safety, we confirm that we are moving forward in coordination with the relevant authorities to achieve the same goal.”

“Oman Football Association once again pledges to continue its support for the Omani referee team led by international referee Ahmed Al-Kaf, confident in their competence, praising their level, and hoping for success in their continental and international careers,” the statement added.

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