Bahrain Football Association to pursue legal options after Assim Madibo appeal rejected

The Bahrain Football Association says it will continue to defend its legal rights over the participation of Qatar player Assim Madibo against Bahrain at Gulf Cup 27, despite the Gulf Football Federation Appeals Committee rejecting its appeal.

The association issued a statement on its account on X on 27 September 2026, expressing “deep regret” at the decision and apologising to Bahrain supporters for failing to secure the outcome they had hoped for.

The appeal concerned Madibo’s involvement in the match between Bahrain and Qatar during the tournament. The Appeals Committee accepted the Bahrain Football Association’s submission on procedural grounds but rejected it on its merits, while upholding the earlier decision of the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.

The Bahrain Football Association said: “The Bahrain Football Association received decision number 2026/2 from the Appeals Committee of the Gulf Football Federation concerning the appeal submitted by the association over the participation of Qatar national team player Assim Madibo in the match between Bahrain and Qatar in Gulf Cup 27.

“The Appeals Committee decided to accept the appeal in form, reject it in substance, and uphold the decision of the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.”

The association said it respected the relevant judicial bodies and committees, but stressed that it had not abandoned, and would not abandon, the rights it believed were guaranteed under the applicable regulations and statutes.

It added that it remained committed to exhausting all available legal procedures in order to claim and protect the rights of the Bahrain national team.

Bahrain cite unexamined arguments

The association also identified what it described as a key source of concern: several substantive issues and legal arguments that formed the basis of its protest and appeal had not been considered.

It said those matters were central to the case and represented the foundation of its legal position.

“The association is proud to have explained to Bahrain’s sporting public and public opinion, with complete transparency, the requests and arguments it submitted, as well as the matters examined by the relevant committees,” the statement said.

“This places all the details of the case clearly before the supporters.”

In its closing message, the Bahrain Football Association apologised again to the country’s sporting public. It said it had followed every regulatory and legal route available and had submitted its arguments and documents in accordance with the applicable rules.

The association said it had acted out of responsibility to safeguard the Bahrain national team’s rights and protect fairness in the competition, adding that the rejection of the protest did not mean it had given up its demands.