Sydney FC’s Ali Abbas will lodge an official complaint with Football Federation Australia over religious and cultural abuse allegedly directed at the Iraqi-born player during Saturday evening’s 3-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.

Abbas was involved in several exchanges with various players during the heated derby at Allianz Stadium, and in the dying minutes of the game engaged in a robust discussion with Wanderers striker Brendon Santalab before stand-in Sydney captain Sasa Ognenovski pulled Abbas away.

In an interview on the pitch shortly after the whistle, a clearly agitated Abbas told Fox Sports: “We’re not here to attack religion or culture, we’re here to play football. I come from a different country, I respect everyone here, I should get it back. If I don’t get it back, I’m going to attack. We need to work on that. We need to stop that.”

The FFA confirmed on Sunday that a complaint would be made: “Football Federation Australia (FFA) has received advice from Sydney FC that a formal complaint from Ali Abbas will be lodged in relation to an alleged incident during the Hyundai A-League Round 22 match between Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers last night.

“Such complaints are dealt with under FFA’s National Member Protection Policy. Upon receipt of the formal complaint, FFA will instigate an investigation of the incident. The resolution process may include mediation or referral to a Disciplinary Tribunal.

“Under the National Member Protection Policy, the process is conducted confidentially and therefore FFA will make no comment about the allegation or the investigation.”

Sydney FC’s chief executive, Tony Pignata, said: “We will be undergoing due process with FFA.

“We ask that the privacy of Ali Abbas is respected at this time and no further comment will be made while the complaint procedure takes it course.”

The allegations of abuse overshadowed Saturday night’s game, watched by more than 40,000 fans at Allianz Stadium.

Abbas was one of a trio of Iraqi players who sought asylum in Australia following a 2007 Olympic qualifier in Gosford, and became an Australian citizen in 2012.



Earlier this year he told Guardian Australia of the horrors of growing up in Iraq in the years after the 2003 US invasion, and how he was fearful each time he left his home: “You’re going to go out, maybe you’re not going to go back home. Maybe you’re going to die.” A car bomb claimed his father’s life in Baghdad in 2004.



The incident comes only one week after the A-League’s Erase Racism round which featured an advertisement, starring Abbas, asking fans and players to “help us tackle racism and keep the world game, the world game”.

Former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, acting as a pundit on Fox Sports, called on the unnamed abuser to apologise, saying offensive language sometimes slipped out in the heat of high-pressure matches.

But his fellow Fox Sports panellist Mark Rudan was less forgiving in a forthright exchange with Bosnich: “These players have a responsibility to make sure they don’t cross the line with this sort of stuff,” he said. “It’s a joke, it’s pathetic and I do not agree that, in the heat of the battle, that is OK.”

He added: “I really thought that [this sort of abuse] was dead and buried. It’s unfortunate it’s happened, particularly against a team like the Wanderers who come from all different walks of life.”

On Sunday, the former Socceroo John Aloisi urged Abbas to pursue the complaint, AAP reported. “He came out after the game and said it was [about his] culture and he talked about his religion, and [how] he doesn’t like anyone attacking that,” Aloisi said on Channel 9.



“If that is the case, they need to stamp it out. The FFA need to come out and investigate. Abbas needs to go to the match officials [and say] ‘this happened and can someone do something about it?’ Because there’s no room for it in our game.



“We’re trying to stamp it out. And they have to set a good example, the players. I know [the excuses]: the heat of the battle, 40,000, great atmosphere. But you can’t be racially abusive.”



Fans expressed surprise on social media that the alleged abuse emanated from a Wanderers player, given the club represents Australia’s most multicultural area. Female fans are regularly spotted in Wanderers crowds sporting the team flag as a hijab.

“I don’t want to talk about that stuff, spoil a good night,” Sydney FC manager Frank Farina said after the game. “It was a game played in good spirits, and, if there is anything, that will be sorted out.”

He said Abbas was furious after the win, which the midfielder sealed with an injury-time penalty. “I told him if he ever shouted at me again, I’d poke his eyes out,” Farina said.



Wanderers coach Tony Popovic said he hadn’t heard anything about the alleged abuse.

It was a sour end to a history-making night for Sydney FC, which shook off months of controversy on and off the pitch to win its first Sydney derby, coming from behind after Wanderers scored early in the second half through midfielder Shinji Ono.

