Adnan Jastania

Whisper of Truth

Who Is the Target: Al-Ittihad or Its Fans?

July 13, 2026 - 00:05 | Last updated July 13, 2026 - 00:05

Follow Okaz channel on WhatsApp

Is it conceivable that Al-Ittihad Club has reached this stage of ambiguity, without a single official coming forward to tell the truth?!

The club's presidency file is still suspended, its current administration remains in place, and the file of transferring ownership to another entity is stagnating, while the fans await and wait, finding only silence.

- And the legitimate question: Isn't the current administration, headed by Engineer Fahd Sindi, largely responsible for this scene? It could have, after the end of a season described by many as a failure, submitted its resignation in response to repeated fan demands and preserved whatever literary balance it had left with Al-Ittihad fans...

- This is not the only issue; where is the CEO of the club's company owned by the Public Investment Fund? He came to Al-Ittihad carrying extensive experience, and fans previously knew him as a clear and frank speaker, so why has he disappeared today? And why has he not come out - even with a video message - explaining the reasons for this delay, putting an end to the state of ambiguity that has become the talk of every Ittihadi?

- Or has the experienced man himself found himself in an unenviable position, becoming a prisoner of the policy of silence, just like the board of directors, despite the fact that Al-Ittihad is going through one of the most difficult and dangerous stages in its history?

- And if we assume - for argument's sake - that the club president, board members, and CEO have reasons preventing them from resigning, or even from revealing the full or partial truth, does the same apply to the owning company? Is it also unable to disclose to the fans what is happening?

- This prolonged silence opens the door to only two interpretations: The first, based on good faith, is that the Ministry of Sports does not have a system authorizing it to force the president and board members of the non-profit foundation to resign before the end of their official term, and that the owning company operates according to an institutional approach that requires not commenting until procedures are complete, leaving the facts to speak at the appropriate time.

- The second interpretation is a natural product of the state of ambiguity, represented by a fan perception that sees someone deliberately weakening Al-Ittihad and delaying its return to its natural position among competitors, and that the primary target in this equation is Al-Ittihad's fans themselves; this fanbase is the club's true strength and the most influential in making a difference whenever the club has a competitive team. Therefore, proponents of this view believe that weakening the first team, delaying the resolution of its files, and disrupting its preparations are all factors that ultimately weaken fan attendance and reduce its impact.

- I do not hide that I do not adopt this view, nor do I treat it as a fact because it lacks evidence. But at the same time, it did not arise from a vacuum; rather, it was born from the womb of silence, fed by the absence of information, and grew with the increasing unsettling indicators that accompanied last season and continue until this moment.

- And here lies the problem: In the absence of truth, rumor becomes news, suspicion becomes conviction, and interpretations become a substitute for transparency. Therefore, responsibility today is not limited to the club management or the owning company, but extends to every party concerned with this file, because the continuation of ambiguity no longer harms Al-Ittihad alone but also harms the sports privatization project, which is one of the most important projects of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

- What Ittihadi fans need today is not promises, leaks, or interpretations, but one clear and frank word telling them: What is happening? And when will this phase end? So the key question remains: Will we hear the truth soon, or will silence remain the official spokesperson for the Ittihadi scene?

- Protecting the national sports project is not achieved through silence but through clarity, transparency, and candor. Whenever truth is absent, rumors prevail, and whenever silence prolongs, the circle of interpretations expands. Al-Ittihad fans have the right, and it is the officials' duty towards them, to know the complete truth, because fans are not part of the problem but an integral part of the solution and one of the most important reasons for the success of the sports project led by the Kingdom's Vision 2030 under the leadership of its godfather, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, may God protect him.