Disciplinary Committee Awards Administrative Win to Al-Shorta Over Naft Maysan

The Disciplinary Committee of the Iraqi Football Association decided to consider Naft Maysan Club as losing to Al-Shorta with a score of 3-0, after it was proven that the Yemeni player Ahmed Al-Sarouri participated illegally in the match that brought the two teams together in the Iraqi Stars League competition.

The decision came after an official objection was submitted by Al-Shorta Club, which led to an investigation into Al-Sarouri's eligibility to participate. The committee found that the player had not completed the legal procedures related to his registration, which made his participation a violation of the competition regulations, and accordingly, the decision was issued to count the result administratively in favor of Al-Shorta.

The article related to the violation is clear in the federation's regulations: any team that fields an ineligible player is considered to have lost 3-0 regardless of the field result. The committee applied the text literally and announced considering Naft Maysan as the loser, with the three match points remaining in Al-Shorta's balance.

The decision grants Al-Shorta three important points on paper, but it is no longer sufficient to keep the championship competition alive. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya officially secured the title in the previous round after defeating Al-Zawraa and Al-Shorta losing to Erbil, thus the administrative win became a formality in terms of standings.

Nevertheless, the three points give Al-Shorta a morale boost before the season ends and ensure it finishes the league in second place, a position qualifying for international participation next season. The decision also reflects the Disciplinary Committee's strictness in applying regulations and sends a clear message to clubs about the necessity of scrutinizing player registration procedures.