UAE season to begin with President's Cup

The UAE Football Association tournaments committee has decided to start the 2002-2003 on September 11 with the President's Cup preliminary round, after they decided to cancel the FA tournament on the recommendations of the First division clubs, who felt it is of no use.

The league tournament will begin in the middle of October and will be completed before the start of the Youth World Cup, which will be hosted by the UAE in March 2003 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Al Ain.

The committee decided to apologise to the Arab Football Confederation (AFC) for not taking part in the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arab Cup championship, to be held in Kuwait from December 17-30. The decision was take due to busy domestic schedule in December, and preparations for the Youth World Cup.

The committee decided to reject the protest by the Al Wahda Club against referee Abdullah Al Bannai, who officiated their league match against Al Shabab last week in Abu Dhabi which Al Wahda lost 1-0.

Al Wahda, in their protest, claimed that the referee didn't award them a clear penalty kick after one of the Al Shabab defenders handled the ball inside the penalty area, which the TV replay showed clearly.

The committee said that the referee's decision in any case during the match is final, according to the FIFA regulations article 5, and also to the committee's regulations, which stipulated that the referee's report is final.

The committee's decisions and suspensions are based on the referee's report and committee refused to doubt in the referee's impartiality, fairness and honesty.