Title: League Official Clarifies Scheduling Decisions, Addresses Top Clubs’ Concerns
In a detailed statement, Amirhossein Roshank, the Head of the Persian Gulf Pro League’s Competition Organization, addressed recent scheduling requests and clarified the rationale behind the league’s fixture decisions, emphasizing adherence to regulations and fairness for all teams.
Addressing Persepolis’s Postponement Request
Responding to a formal request from Persepolis Football Club to postpone their upcoming match, Roshank provided a clear explanation. “According to the regulations, the mandatory break for players returning from international duty until their first league match must be 72 hours,” he stated. “However, for Persepolis, this interval has been set at four days. This means we have allocated them even one extra day.”
To underscore the point, Roshank highlighted the scheduling of other top clubs. “For instance, the match between Esteghlal and Sepahan, teams which also have a significant number of national team players, will be held on Friday. Yet, Persepolis’s match is scheduled for Saturday. Given these conditions, I believe there is no logical reason to postpone this particular fixture.”
A Contrasting Precedent with Tractor
The league official differentiated the Persepolis case from a previous decision involving Tractor FC. “The situation with Tractor was different,” Roshank explained. “The interval for them was only 48 hours, and they had another match in the elite league just three days later. It was precisely for this reason, and after considering these specific pressures, that we canceled Tractor’s match.”
Update on the Tehran Derby Venue
Regarding the highly anticipated derby between Esteghlal and Persepolis, Roshank noted that the host venue has yet to be finalized. “Persepolis has not yet officially introduced a stadium for the match,” he said. “Furthermore, we still have two months. It is possible the club wishes to assess the conditions of various stadiums before making a decision.”
He assured that the matter would be resolved in due course through official channels. “As we get closer to the date of this match, we will certainly send them an official letter, and the decision will be made through correspondence and mutual agreement.”