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QNA/AFP
Doha
A day after being denied entry to the UAE, Saoud al Mohannadi, Vice President of the Qatar Football Association and the Asian Football Confederation, chaired the Organizing Committee of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The committee discussed final preparations to host the event which will start on Saturday with Group A match between the UAE and Bahrain.
Mohannadi thanked the members of the committee for their great effort for the tournament. He said the tournament will be the biggest ever with 24 teams competing and ready for the opening match.
This edition›s slogan will be “Bringing Asia Together”.
He said the committee was proud to be working with the Asian federation to promote the game among women and girls in the UAE, and inspiring them to take part in the game of football. He expressed his happiness that the 2019 edition will see the introduction of VAR in seven matches, starting from the quarter-finals.
He said the rules allow for an extra substitution during extra time, for the first time ever in the history of the competition. He noted that there is a record number of referees and prize money.
On Mohannadi refused entry in the UAE, an AFC statement said it was “aware of reports that [Mohannadi]... was unable to travel to the United Arab Emirates from Muscat in Oman”.
“We are investigating the matter as we were assured of visas and entry permits for all AFC Organising Committee and Executive members,” the AFC said.
Five members of a Qatari media delegation were refused entry in Emirates after a five-hour wait despite obtaining the necessary visas.
Doha
A day after being denied entry to the UAE, Saoud al Mohannadi, Vice President of the Qatar Football Association and the Asian Football Confederation, chaired the Organizing Committee of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The committee discussed final preparations to host the event which will start on Saturday with Group A match between the UAE and Bahrain.
Mohannadi thanked the members of the committee for their great effort for the tournament. He said the tournament will be the biggest ever with 24 teams competing and ready for the opening match.
This edition›s slogan will be “Bringing Asia Together”.
He said the committee was proud to be working with the Asian federation to promote the game among women and girls in the UAE, and inspiring them to take part in the game of football. He expressed his happiness that the 2019 edition will see the introduction of VAR in seven matches, starting from the quarter-finals.
He said the rules allow for an extra substitution during extra time, for the first time ever in the history of the competition. He noted that there is a record number of referees and prize money.
On Mohannadi refused entry in the UAE, an AFC statement said it was “aware of reports that [Mohannadi]... was unable to travel to the United Arab Emirates from Muscat in Oman”.
“We are investigating the matter as we were assured of visas and entry permits for all AFC Organising Committee and Executive members,” the AFC said.
Five members of a Qatari media delegation were refused entry in Emirates after a five-hour wait despite obtaining the necessary visas.
