The Government of the Balearic Islands has sent a formal complaint to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for the “serious incidents” that occurred outside the King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, after the semi-final match of the Spanish Super Cup. that faced Real Club Deportivo Mallorca against Real Madrid. The Mallorcan expedition denounced a significant lack of security in the vicinity of the stadium that led to touching and harassment by the Saudi fans of the Mallorca fans and especially the relatives of the footballers, who came to watch the match. In the letter sent this Wednesday to the president of the RFEF, Rafael Louzán, the Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Balearic Islands government, Jaume Bauzà, urges the organization to “reconsider” the suitability of Saudi Arabia as the country chosen to host the Spanish Super Cup in future editions. The request will surely fall on deaf ears, since the current contract does not expire until 2029 and, furthermore, the federation’s intention is to extend that agreement for five more years.
Six days after what happened, the president of the RFEF, Rafael Louzán, has asked for “forgiveness” for the first time from the Mallorcan fans for what he has described as “problems and difficult moments” at the exit of the stadium, without classifying them as harassment. or touching, as the women of the expedition denounced, and has reiterated her desire to return to Saudi Arabia to celebrate future editions. After a meeting he held in Valencia to coordinate aid for the recovery of football fields after the damage that devastated the province in November, Louzán regretted what happened to the Mallorcan fans who traveled more than 5,000 kilometers away to watch the game. “We are going to try, because this edition of the Super Cup has also been very successful because it has been one of the most followed of those held in Saudi Arabia, that we can return there and that these situations do not happen again.” Louzán had not made a single reference to the incidents and complaints from Mallorcan fans during the public events promoting the Super Cup that took place in Jeddah last weekend.
Hours after the semifinal match, Mallorcan fans who traveled to Jeddah published videos on different social networks in which the local public could be seen shouting at them from the stands. In statements to public television IB3, Cristina Palavra, wife of Mallorca player Dani Rodríguez, reported that local men had taken photos of them without permission and had harassed them. “We have felt a little out of place. We had no one protecting us. The start was very bad,” he said. Natalia Kaluzova, partner of goalkeeper Dominik Greif, published the story of what happened on her Instagram profile, in which she explained that they had not even been able to go to the bathroom because they “automatically” received “unpleasant sexual comments”: “They chased us all day. I walk to the buses. “They cornered us on the stairs of the stadium while the wives of the players, who are also mothers, carried their children in their arms.” Kaluzova reported that they had been pushed when they got to the bus and that they banged on the windows; and lamented that the RFEF had provided them with virtually no security. The stories of other relatives of the players and of fans who had traveled thanks to a club ticket raffle are similar to those of both.
In the letter sent this Wednesday by the Government of the Balearic Islands, the Minister of Tourism and Sports describes the incidents that occurred outside the stadium as “serious” and states that he is aware that they were repeated in other matches of the championship. “Our fans, especially the women in attendance, were literally afraid of a local fan who broke the slightest rules of coexistence and decorum and did not hold back when it came to harassing, groping, photographing, recording and insulting our small group of fans. “, reads the letter. The counselor denounces the failure of the security measures necessary to prevent and stop physical and verbal attacks such as those suffered by the Balearic expedition. He considers that the incidents should force the federation to “reconsider” the suitability of Saudi Arabia as the country chosen to host the Spanish Super Cup in future editions. “I think that as important as the profitability and visibility of the events, which it is, is the safety and dignity of the teams and the fans.”
Palma City Council has also joined the Balearic Government’s complaint, whose mayor Jaime Martínez has described the episodes of harassment in the vicinity of King Abdulah as “regrettable”, taking into account that the event is organized by the federation. Martínez conveyed his indignation and protest in writing through a letter sent last Monday to Louzán, in which he also urged him to reconsider holding the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. “Opening up to the world means adapting to the real world, a world that is based on respect and above all, respect for women, which is what did not happen at that time,” Martínez said this Wednesday in statements to Radio Majorca.
In addition to the complaints from the public administrations, RCD Mallorca has transmitted from the first moment its rejection of the episodes that occurred at the end of the match and has insisted in conversations with the federation on the need for Louzán to apologize. Apologies that have arrived six days after the events and after the noise caused by some local media. The club’s Business CEO, Alfonso Díaz, explained days ago that he called Louzán at the end of the meeting to find solutions to the episodes and take action. The Federation has studied the few images it had available to analyze them, but it was not easy. The Moviment Mallorquinista supporters group has promoted a collection of signatures to protest and condemn the episodes of harassment and insecurity that occurred outside the stadium.
