Saudi Arabia apologises

SYDNEY: Saudi Arabia’s football governing body has apologised after their players ignored a minute’s silence to honour the victims of last weekend’s London terror attack.

While Australian players linked arms in the centre of Adelaide Oval before their World Cup qualifier win on Thursday, the Saudi players milled about separately in their half of the field.

‘‘The Saudi Arabian Football Federation deeply regrets and unreservedly apologises for any offence caused by the failure of some members of the representative team of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to formally observe the one minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the London terrorist attack on June 3 2017,’’ a statement on the SAFF website read.

‘‘The players did not intend any disrespect to the memories of the victims or to cause upset to their families, friends or any individual affected by the atrocity.

‘‘The Saudi Arabian Football Federation condemns all acts of terrorism and extremism and extends its sincerest condolences to the families of all the victims and to the Government and people of the United Kingdom.’’

Two Australian women were among eight people killed in the attack.

Football Federation Australia sought to explain Saudi players’ actions as differences in cultural traditions.

‘‘Both the AFC and the Saudi team agreed that the minute of silence could be held,’’ an FFA spokesman said.

‘‘The FFA was further advised by Saudi team officials that this tradition was not in keeping with Saudi culture and they would move to their side of the field and respect our custom whilst taking their own positions on the field.’’

Australia won the match 32, leaving the Socceroos and Saudi Arabia tied with 16 points in their World Cup qualifying group.

Social media and talkback radio lit up on Friday with people condemning Saudi Arabia’s nonobservance of the minute’s silence. — AAP