Overnight, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) made a big announcement: the remaining matches of the Forty Four, originally scheduled to be held in China, will be temporarily shifted to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
On the same night, the Syrian Football Federation (SFF) quickly responded by issuing a strongly worded statement firmly opposing any changes to the schedule for the 40-team tournament. The statement made it clear that when the AFC initially decided that the Group A matches would be played in our country, there was already a back-up plan in place to allow for the replacement of our country as hosts. However, the Syrian Football Federation emphasized that they are strongly opposed to any changes to the remaining fixtures in the group, especially those that might be to their advantage, regardless of the circumstances.
However, just this morning, renowned soccer commentator Han Qiaosheng has fired off a thousand angry words, lashing out at the Syrian Football Association's move. In a post on social media, he said:
"In the early hours of June 1, the Syrian Football Federation (SFA) suddenly took to social media platforms, claiming that it did not agree to change the remaining fixtures of the Group A matches on the grounds that it might be to its advantage. Immediately afterward, the Syrian Football Federation came up with a puzzling maneuver, announcing a new tournament schedule on its own.
What is the intention of this sudden statement? As we all know, the players from Syria and Maldives were unable to enter the country and were forced to stay in Dubai due to the New Crown epidemic. Our Football Association finally made concessions for the sake of the greater good, agreeing to obey the AFC's decision to travel to Dubai for the tournament. However, with an upcoming match against the Maldives on June 3, time is running out for the national football team.
This statement by the Syrian Football Association is really a bit unsympathetic. Although there is nothing wrong with sticking to the principle, the behavior of giving an inch to the inch makes people wonder about its manners.
