Dubai: Al Shabab Club is ready to take a tough stance if Al Wasl escalates last Thursday's confrontation between Diego Maradona and fans with the authorities, according to Al Shabab vice-president Khalid Bu Humaid.
Coach Maradona was forced to scale the terraces with fellow Argentine Juan Mercier following Al Wasl's 2-0 defeat to Al Shabab in Al Mamzar after their respective partners became embroiled in an ugly melee with home supporters after the league fixture.
Maradona and Mercier's partners were alleged to have hurled abuse at Al Shabab's Brazilian striker and match-winner Jociel ‘Ciel' Ferraira Da Silva as he came off as a late substitute.
This sparked fury from Al Shabab fans sitting beside them in the VIP section of the main stand. In the end all parties, including Maradona, Mercier and partners along with the Argentine legend's official photographer Jorge and wife, had to be restrained by police and escorted off the premises.
A statement from Al Wasl Club, released yesterday, said the club "denounced the harassment suffered by the family and guests of Diego Maradona' and blamed ‘a few irresponsible fans' who ‘verbally abused Maradona's wife and his guests during the match'.
Abdullah Al Bishr, acting CEO of Al Wasl said: "Any such abuse is unacceptable, but it is even more offensive when it offends women. Our cultural guidelines frown upon such behaviour that shook everyone in the stadium or who watched what happened on television.
"We offer our sincere apologies to Maradona for what took place on behalf of the few who offended UAE culture by their actions. This is a society, which by its very nature, does not insult women by cursing and harassing, but is brought up to treat them with respect."
But Al Shabab's vice-president Bu Humaid had a different take on the matter. He told Gulf News: "The wife of Maradona and her friends verbally abused one of our players as he was leaving the pitch, he's a Brazilian and they are Argentinian and they hate one another. Some fans tried to calm them down and tell them it is not acceptable to insult the player. Things escalated and both parties started yelling at each other. The wife of Maradona was swearing and the women were throwing water bottles at fans and police.
"After things calmed down, the chairman of Al Shabab went into the Al Wasl dressing room to apologise on behalf of the club, but Maradona abused the chairman in Spanish. We didn't understand, but it was clear from his body language that he was swearing at the chairman."
Bu Humaid added: "What happened that evening did not involve the Al Shabab administration and even the fans involved in the incident were neutral spectators. Al Wasl's statement condemns what happened, but to also indirectly accuse Al Shabab is not fair and we have a right to reply."
