Leadership shakeup at Erbil football club after loss

Rudaw Net

08-03-2025

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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The interim management team of Erbil SC resigned on Saturday, including the president, after the football club's loss against Mina in a tense game that saw a fight among spectators.
As part of the 23rd round of the Iraqi Stars League, Erbil hosted Mina, currently ranked 17th. The match was decided by a late goal from Kerar Jaafar in the 89th minute, securing Mina's victory.
During the game, a fight broke out between VIP spectators inside the stadium. The confrontation overshadowed the match. Erbil's captain, Sherko Karim, and a member of the club's management were involved in the altercation, requiring intervention to restore order.
Following the defeat, Erbil SC head coach Samir Babo addressed the fans, asking for their understanding. "No matter what happened, we should not have lost,' he said.
He acknowledged internal tensions within the club, saying, "There is an unhealthy environment inside Erbil SC. We have been dealing with this for four to five months, and the biggest problems come from those closest to the team."
Without naming anyone directly, Babo suggested that a club management member had shown favoritism toward the team captain. He said that some within the club were unhappy with the team's record.
Babo reassured fans that he would not resign, stating, "I am responsible to my city and to our fans. It's not that I want to stay, but Erbil Sports Club is a historic club, and these issues must be resolved."
He also pointed to financial and facility-related difficulties, saying, "We lack funding and proper training grounds. The challenges continue to mount, and unless they are addressed, it will be impossible to move forward."
Team captain Karim dismissed claims of a conflict within the club, stating, "Everyone on the team is like family to me."
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw met with the president and board members of Erbil SC's interim management committee at the governor's office and said he had accepted their resignations.
'Despite our efforts to improve the situation, the challenges persisted, making it necessary to find a long-term solution rather than temporary fixes," Khoshnaw said in a statement on his official account on Facebook.
'Preparations will be made to conduct free and fair elections for a new management board within the next 30 to 45 days,' the statement from Erbil's governor read, adding that a caretaker committee will oversee the club until the new management is elected. 'However, members of this committee will not be eligible to run for the club's management board,' he added.
With this loss, Erbil SC now sits in 9th place in the Iraqi Stars League standings with a total of 32 points.