Sports

Suwaiq pulls out of OFA championships to focus on rejig

 
Muscat: Al Suwaiq will withdraw from Oman Football Association (OFA) championships of 2023-2024. 'After a thorough consultation with relevant stakeholders and considering the majority opinion expressed during these meetings, the Board of Directors of Al Suwaiq Club, under the leadership of His Highness Sayyid Firas bin Fatik al Said, has resolved to withdraw,' said the club statement on Sunday. The decision to withdraw the senior team of the club was not unanimously taken by the general assembly after a series of board meetings on June 16.

Al Suwaiq said this tough choice was made to restructure the club keeping in mind

its devoted fans and supporters. The club is still dedicated to carrying on its wide variety of social, cultural, and sporting activities.



Furthermore, Al Suwaiq confirmed its dedication to the investment prospects and redevelopment of sporting facilities as top priorities in the upcoming period. Al Suwaiq's Board of Directors had proposed freezing the senior team's activities in a statement issued at the conclusion of the league, expressing concern over the declining technical standards in the Omani Football Association championships, particularly during the 2022-2023 season.

It cited a lack of progress in the development of football competitions and a clear decline in the public interest.

The statement said it was challenging to run the club due to inadequate revenue from ads and marketing, insufficient incentives, absence of a comprehensive vision for development, stagnant level of quality of officials, recurring errors, and delays in the implementation of video assisted referee (VAR) technology.