The Iraqi Al-Student Club received a strong shock after the Disciplinary Committee of the Football Association issued its decision to consider them losers in their match against Al-Nafit with a score of three goals to none, due to an administrative error related to the participation of one of their players.

Al-Student faced their host Al-Nafit last Thursday in the third round of the Iraqi Stars League, and the match ended in a goalless draw, after Al-Nafit player Ahmed Khaled missed a penalty in the 19th minute. The result was supposed to be a valuable point for Al-Student, but the administrative error completely overturned the balance.

The decision came as a result of the participation of player Mustafa Mohammed Ma'an while wearing jersey number 34, despite the official list submitted before the match including his name with number 32. Although the situation seemed to be an unintentional administrative error, the Disciplinary Committee emphasized that the regulations are clear and explicit, and do not allow any leniency in this regard. They also decided to suspend the match supervisor for a month, while confirming the result (3-0) in favor of Al-Nafit.

With this decision, Al-Student recorded their first defeat of the season, leaving their points at 4 in tenth place. Meanwhile, Al-Nafit advanced a significant step to ninth place with 6 points, benefiting from the three points added by the decision. Although Al-Student has the right to file a protest with the appeals committee, their chances of winning it remain weak given the clarity of the violation.

The decision sparked a wave of discontent among the elegant fans, especially since the team was experiencing a positive start with their Qatari coach Talal Al-Balushi, having opened the league with a valuable victory over Zakho (1-0), then drawing with Al-Zawraa (1-1) at their home ground, before drawing with Al-Nafit goalless. However, the administrative error dissipated the players' efforts on the field and set the team back.

What happened highlights the importance of administrative discipline in professional tournaments, where a simple violation can deprive the team of its results on the green rectangle. The Disciplinary Committee confirmed the necessity of Mustaq Kadhim, the manager of Al-Nafit team, to attend the Football Association headquarters to discuss the details of the incident, indicating that the Football Association is seeking to tighten oversight on organizational aspects.

Despite the shock, Al-Student quickly began preparations to face Duhok next Friday in the fourth round of the Iraqi league. Coach Talal Al-Balushi confirmed in media statements that the team made some mistakes that they aim to correct, while emphasizing that the club management did not spend large amounts this season, but he is confident in the players' ability to compensate for what they missed and continue to compete.