Saudi Arabian soccer team shouldn’t be permitted to return, writes Susie O’Brien

THE Saudi Arabian soccer team’s refusal to adhere to our customs is so offensive that they don’t deserve the privilege of playing here, writes Susie O’Brien.

• ‘THEY SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED HERE’
• STAND SILENTLY FOR A MINUTE IS NOT MUCH TO ASK
• O’BRIEN: NO SAFE PLACE FOR ISLAMIC EXTREMISM
• O’BRIEN: HOW WAS SIEGE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?

THE Saudi Arabian soccer team should not be permitted entry to this country for international sporting matches.

Their refusal to adhere to our customs is so offensive that they don’t even deserve the privilege of playing here.

First, they refused to board a bus driven by a woman in 2015 and last night they refused to observe a minute’s silence at Adelaide Oval showing respect for the two Australian women who died in the recent London terrorist attacks.

I don’t care that the football bosses have apologised, saying the players did not mean to cause disrespect. The disgraceful incident took place, and no words can change that.

Screen grab showing the Australian team observing silence while Saudi players warm up before the match.

The Socceroos players observe a minute’s silence prior to the start of the match. Photo: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Apparently, it didn’t happen because Saudi Arabian officials said it wasn’t in their culture to observe a minute’s silence.

This shouldn’t make any difference. Even if it’s not in their culture, it is in ours, and they should follow our customs when they are in our country.

This is not about culture, it’s about respect for grieving families.

Making matters worse, a UK Islamic sheik, Mohammad Tawhidi, told one media outlet: “They did not stop for a moment of silence because according to Wahhabi Islam — which governs Saudi Arabia — it is not wrong or a sin for a Muslim to kill a non-Muslim”.

“In their eyes the attackers are martyrs who are going to paradise. And if they stand for a minute of silence they are against their Muslim brothers who fought for jihad and fought the ‘infidels’,” he said.

I am sure this is not the view of all Saudi Muslims, but it is very concerning to hear an Islamic leader making such claims.

South Australian nurse Kirsty Boden who was killed in the London terror attacks.

The sight of the Saudi players fastening their shoes and warming up instead of standing silently was doubly offensive given that one of the women killed — nurse Kirsty Boden — was from Loxton in South Australia.

When people from our country go to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries we observe cultural norms such women covering their head and shoulders.

To think this group of blokes couldn’t be respectful even for one minute says it all.

In any case, Saudi teams have observed a minute’s silence on other occasions, such as during the Qatar Airways Cup last year.

Al-Ahli Saudi FC observes one minute of silence during the Qatar Airways Cup match against FC Barcelona. Photo: AK BijuRaj/Getty Images

The fact that they chose not to do so on this occasion is disgraceful. Of course, what else should we expect from representatives of a country widely understood to be helping fund terrorist groups?

It would be nice to think sport transcends international issues, but clearly it does not. Fox Sports have revealed the minute’s silence was approved before the game, but ignored by travelling Saudi officials. Suggestions that the reason for the minute’s silence was “lost in translation” don’t make sense given that they’ve done it before.

I am glad we beat this team 3-2. Serves them right.

Susie O’Brien is a Herald Sun columnist

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Originally published as Saudi Arabian soccer team shouldn’t be permitted to return, writes Susie O’Brien