Gulf Cup deadline passes with no response

DOHA: A deadline given by Gulf Cup organisers asking Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to play in next month’s tournament, hosted by Qatar, has passed without response.

Organisers told AFP on Tuesday that they would now meet later this week to decide whether to go ahead with the tournament.However, it looks increasingly like the Gulf Cup will become the first major sporting casualty of a crisis in the region which has seen the 2022 World Cup host politically and diplomatically isolated by its neighbours since June.

“There was no response, we didn’t receive any responses at all,” said Gulf Cup Football Federation general secretary Jassim al-Rumaihi.“A decision will be made on the 16th.”Asked if he thought any tournament was likely, Rumaihi responded: “I hope so. Let’s be optimistic on this.”