Newcastle United has asked non-Arabic fans of their club to not wear Arabic outfits to the games, to respect the sensibilities of various communities.
The statement said that no one from the ownership group was offended and was pleased with seeing several fans wearing Arabic outfits, but wearing them could be culturally inappropriate.
“No-one among the new ownership group was in any way offended by the attire of the fans who chose to celebrate in this way. It was a gesture that was acknowledged as positive and welcoming in its intent.
“However, there remains the possibility that dressing this way is culturally inappropriate and risks causing offense to others. All visitors to the club are, as always, encouraged to wear whatever is the norm for their own culture or religion, continuing to reflect the broad and rich multicultural communities and groups from which the club proudly draws its support,” said the statement.
Newcastle United was bought by a consortium led by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is a wealth fund of the Saudi Arabian state. The Premier League club was taken over for a sum of around £300 million from the previous owner, Mike Ashley. The PIF was in discussions about buying the Magpies last year, but the deal fell through after the Premier League did not give its approval.
The Saudi Arabian state’s acquisition of Newcastle United has been condemned by various human rights agencies following the deal.
The Premier League side could see several changes in the weeks and months to follow, first with the signing of a new manager. Steve Bruce, who was manager of the club from 2019, left by mutual consent, just days after the club’s first match under the new owners. The Magpies lost 3-2 against Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League.
Bruce had been subject to immense criticism from the Newcastle United fan base due to him playing a defensive style of football. The former Aston Villa and Hull City manager was a boyhood Newcastle United fan who helped the club finish 12th and 13th in his two seasons in charge of the club.
The likes of former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, former Roma manager Paulo Fonseca, and veteran manager Lucien Favre are in the running to replace Bruce at St. James’ Park. Newcastle United is currently 19th on the Premier League table with no wins from their opening eight games of the season.
