Today, Monday, the Board of Directors of Al-Merreikh Club issued a statement to respond to the Sudanese Football Association, in the incident of preventing the player Seif El-Din Malik (Terry) from traveling with the national team to Gabon.
The Jedi Falcons are preparing to face Gabon in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers on March 23 and 27.
And the National Teams Committee of the Sudanese Football Association had revealed that Terry was prevented from traveling due to “the existence of an open communication against him” and described him as “malicious.”
According to the federation’s statement, the communication submitted by “a person” relates to “a sum of money that the player paid to Al-Mars club.”
The club denounced the statement of the Sudanese Federation, and stated: “We, in the Mars Council, deeply regret what was included in the strange statement of the Federation by throwing (our name) without logic and hinting that we stand behind the player’s travel ban.”
And he added, “It seems that the brothers in the federation are not familiar with the details of the issue and do not know what is required of them in the way of managing football affairs in Sudan.”
And he added, “Everyone knows that Mars has nothing to do with banning the player from traveling from near or far, and it is a (private right), except for the people of the federation.”
And he added, “The evidence is that they issued a statement in which they put the ancient and respected institution in the name of Mars, and everyone knows our history.”
And he continued, “It is clear that the Sudanese Federation is not keen on creating a suitable environment for practicing sports work, as much as it is keen on igniting discord and losing the fans of a large club of the value of Mars, and the distance between it and them.”
He pointed out that the federation did not appreciate the Mars players accompanying the national team, “and they are keen to meet the call of the homeland despite exhaustion and absence for two consecutive months from their families.”
He explained that the players joined the national team immediately after their arrival, “despite the failure of the Sudanese Federation to hand them over their accumulated incentives.”
And he continued: “It seems that the brothers in the federation are ignorant of this great role of Mars, as evidenced by the issuance of a strange statement that lacks the required administrative tact and reveals the magnitude of the administrative tragedy that Sudanese football is experiencing.”
He attacked the union and described its officials as “a group that does not understand what is required of it and does not know how to establish a strong ground and a solid relationship with its members that contribute to the development of (the game).”
The statement concluded: “The Mars Council declares its categorical rejection of what was included in the Federation’s statement by putting its name in a case that does not belong to it and is related to another party, and hopes that the Federation will deal with awareness and vigilance in its administrative approach.”