Victory or defeat is part of sports

The shocking and unprecedented fury of the home crowd during the UAE's World Cup qualifier against North Korea came like a bolt from the blue. As hosts, in sporting competitions, the UAE fans have always shown courtesy to visiting teams.

This is part of the country's sporting culture and no compromise is made. But in their defeat against North Korea, a certain section of the crowd displayed an aggression forcing Fifa, the world soccer body, to initiate disciplinary action against the UAE Football Association.

Strict disciplinary measures need to be taken in order to ensure that these incidents do not repeat themselves again. The litmus test will come when the UAE face off against Saudi Arabia tonight in a do-or-die battle for World Cup qualification. They must consider then that victory or defeat apart they will be remembered more for their ability to treat either result with sporting dignity.