COMEDIAN Dave Hughes has doubled down on comments about the Saudi Arabian football team, labelling their refusal to observe a minute’s silence “a terrible look”.

Australian football fans slammed Saudi Arabia for failing to stand for the victims of the London terror attacks, which included two Australians, before their World Cup qualifier in Adelaide.

Hughes this morning weighed in on the twitter, suggesting the team shouldn’t be allowed in Australia.

In Melb during 2015 Asian Cup, Saudi team refused to board bus driven by a woman. They should not be given entry to our country. https://t.co/g2uXqks1CE — Dave Hughes (@DHughesy) June 8, 2017

He also referred to a 2015 incident when the Saudi Arabian team at the Asian Cup in Australia initially refused to board a bus driven by a woman.

However, the team did agree to get on during that occasion but asked that all subsequent drivers be male, the ABC reported.

Hughesy declined to comment further when contacted by news.com.au but told Kiss FM listeners on Friday afternoon that the Saudi behaviour was “ridiculous”.

“It made a lot of people really angry,” he said. “A couple stood (for the minute’s silence) but generally they went about their business. Terrible look, horrible. It was awful to look at.”

He said the 2015 incident was an example of “shocking misogyny”.

“It’s ridiculous, I can’t believe we allow it.”

The comedian suggested Australia would’ve been well served by giving the Saudi team a male driver who drove the bus “straight to the airport”.

Saudi Arabian football bosses have unreservedly apologised for the actions of the players.

“The players did not intend any disrespect to the memories of the victims or to cause upset to their families, friends or any individual affected by the atrocity,” the statement read.

“The Saudi Arabian Football Federation condemns all acts of terrorism and extremism and extends its sincerest condolences to the families of all the victims and to the Government and people of the United Kingdom.”

Earlier Saudi Arabian officials had defended the decision not to mark a minute’s silence for victims of the London Bridge terror attack saying it’s not in their culture.

But there have been other occasions where Saudi teams have observed a minute’s silence.

Last year in Doha, Qatar, players from a Saudi club observed a minute’s silence.

The game, between FC Barcelona and al-Ahli FC on December 13 saw all the players, including the Saudis, marking silence to honour the memory of members of the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense who were killed in a plane crash.

The Adelaide Oval crowd and Socceroos players all paused to remember the two Australians lost in the weekend’s terrorist attack in London, only for the visitors to fail to do likewise.

Instead the Saudis went to their positions and began warming up. The Socceroos stood with arms around each other on the halfway line.

Captain Osama Hawsawi appeared to call for his players to standstill, with most of the players observing the rest of the tribute.

A minute's silence for the two Aussies who lost their lives in London recently



Follow #AUSvKSA live: https://t.co/BaTx8rLqJ0 pic.twitter.com/JP7uxVnXTM — FOX SPORTS Football (@FOXFootballLive) June 8, 2017

It’s understood Saudi Arabian fans also failed to pause and observe the silence in the Adelaide Oval crowd.

Senior Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese this morning slammed the Saudi players for their lack of respect and denied it had anything to do with culture.

“That was a disgraceful lack of respect not just for the two Australians killed, one of whom was a young South Australian, all of those victims of that terror attack in London. There is no excuse here,” he told Today.

“This isn’t about culture, this is about a lack of respect. I thought it was disgraceful.

“It’s bloody disgraceful, I’m so angry about this.”

Sunrise host Sam Armytage also blasted the players and said the move was “bloody disgraceful”.

Armytage didn’t hold back this morning and said there was nothing cultural about disrespect shown to two dead Australians, one of whom is from South Australia.

“When we go to the Middle East, when we went to Dubai for the show a few years ago we respect their custom, you cover your shoulders because it’s respectful to do that in their country,” she said.

“Surely they can be respectful for one minute.”

2GB radio host Chris Smith told Armytage the move was simply hypocritical.

“We have a situation with the Saudis, they are duplicitous,” he said.

Saudi Soccer team under fire for refusing to honour London terror victims Saudi Soccer team under fire for refusing to honour London terror victims

“There are parts of the Saudi royalty that actually fund terrorism,” he said.

“We know that for a fact. Finally they have stood up against Qatar, but that is... hypocritical. They do not know what side of the ledger they stand on. This business about ‘It is part of our culture’, and somebody else said it was lost in translation, they have all had time to prepare themselves for the minute’s silence. They have shown whether they are on which side of terrorism. I am glad they lost by one goal, because they lost on two fronts.”

Herald Sun columnist Susie O’Brien said the Saudis have been funding terrorist groups like the Taliban, al-Qaeda and that sport should transcend events happening in the world.

“Clearly not. I am so glad that we beat them. Sucked in,” she said.

Fox Sports presenter Adam Peacock revealed on Twitter post-match that the minute’s silence was approved pre-game by Asian Football Confederation officials, but the request was refused by travelling Saudi team officials. It’s understood Football Federation Australia attempted to reasons with the visiting delegates.

Pre game minute silence:

AFC approved it pre game.

Travelling Saudi officials said no.

FFA tried to reason, no avail and went ahead. — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) June 8, 2017

It was thought that Saudi Arabian players did not understand or it was lost in translation. A small number of the opposition players paused and paid respect with the Socceroos.

A spokesman for the FFA said they were told before the game that the Saudi team would not be taking part in the tribute.

The spokesman said: “The FFA sought agreement from the Asian Football Confederation and the Saudi national team to hold a minute’s silence in memory of those lost in Saturday night’s terror bombings in London and in particular the two Australian women.

“Both the AFC and the Saudi team agreed that the minute of silence could be held.

“The FFA was further advised by Saudi team officials that this tradition was not in keeping with Saudi culture and they would move to their side of the field and respect our custom whilst taking their own positions on the field.”

Several on social media noticed and vented their anger towards the Socceroos opponents.

Australia just had a minute silence for something I'm not sure & the Saudi players just ignored it, classy & moderate 😐 — liam (@BokoHoginho89) June 8, 2017

Saudi jumping around during the minute of silence. Two foot em Mooy #AUSvKSA pic.twitter.com/WWVpIoptAt — We Had Guardiola (@rosaaaav10) June 8, 2017

Well observed minute silence from the Saudi's... #AUSvKSA pic.twitter.com/hyfpLQsDZj — Damon Burley (@damonburley) June 8, 2017

Wow just saw this... not sure what to think of it. Saudi players skipped the minute silence for #LondonAttacks #AUSvKSA pic.twitter.com/NHM2SUX2U8 — Luke (@lukenunn99) June 8, 2017

That is just before it started, however, Hawsawi - the captain - continued to stretch and jog on spot during the minute.

Not cool. https://t.co/L09te9XgTf — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) June 8, 2017

Most of the Saudi Arabian side are Muslim and the custom of pausing for a moment’s silence to honour the dead is not common under Islam. Instead, it is custom to pray for the dead, give to charity on their behalf and remember.

They come from a different culture. They just dont understand the point of being silence for a minute to show sadness.. we neve do it in KSA — Visa4you (@ksa_visas) June 8, 2017

lining up for the minute of silence is cultural thing there is no harm in not standing — محمد الشمري (@m_alshamari11) June 8, 2017

It added spice to an already important encounter, with Australia needing victory to keep pace with Saudi Arabia and Japan at the top of the group.

Only the top two sides qualify automatically for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Going into the match Australia sat in third place and will next face Japan away from home.

Fortunately a late goal from Tom Rogic eased the pressure on the Socceroos, Australia joining Japan and Saudi Arabia on 16 points in Group B.