Al-Ittihad Jeddah’s preparations for the upcoming season have hit a significant hurdle, with two of their key players facing the prospect of suspension.
The club’s Moroccan duo, midfielder Abdelrazak Hamdallah and defender Ahmed Hegazy, are under serious threat of being banned from participating in official matches at the start of the new campaign. This stems from a long-standing financial dispute with their former club, Pyramids FC of Egypt.
The issue dates back to 2021 when both players joined the Egyptian side. According to official documents from the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber, Pyramids FC filed a complaint against the players for allegedly breaching their contracts. The Egyptian club is claiming financial compensation, reported to be in the region of $2 million.
FIFA has officially ruled in favor of Pyramids FC. The global governing body has issued a final decision, confirmed on July 17, 2024, ordering Hamdallah and Hegazy to pay the owed amounts. Failure to settle the debt will result in an automatic ban from all football-related activities.
The clock is ticking for the Al-Ittihad stars. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has received the official suspension orders from FIFA. If the payments are not completed, the federation will be obligated to enforce the bans, preventing the players from registering for any matches starting from the 2024-2025 season.
This development is a major blow for Al-Ittihad and their new coach, Portuguese tactician José Mourinho. Both Hamdallah, the team’s prolific striker, and Hegazy, the defensive pillar, are considered indispensable to the club’s ambitions for the 2024-2025 Roshn Saudi League and their AFC Champions League Elite campaign.
The club’s management is now racing against time to find a solution before the new season kicks off, hoping to avoid starting their crucial year without two of their most important assets.
