The backlash against the UAE Football Association’s decision to hand out controversial domestic bans for star duo Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout’s breaking of curfew at the Gulf Cup began on Wednesday as both lodged appeals, while coaches at their clubs expressed outrage.

2016 AFC Player of the Year Abdulrahman, 26, and 2015 Asian Cup leading marksman Mabkhout, 27, were given four-match suspensions on Tuesday after they had been found guilty of leaving the team’s hotel in Kuwait City without permission from 20:15-22:30 the night before January 5’s dismal penalty-shootout defeat to Oman in the final. Utility-man Mohammed Fawzi, 27, was also found to have been part of the infraction, but escaped a ban as he was unavailable for the game.

Mabkhout and Fawzi’s Al Jazira have joined Al Ain’s Abdulrahman in officially contesting the charges.

Both tacticians echoed this stance. A venomous diatribe was delivered by the Boss’ Croatian supremo Zoran Mamic, who will be missing ‘Amoory’ from Friday’s Arabian Gulf League-clash at Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club until February 16’s Arabian Gulf Cup quarter-final decider versus Al Wasl.

He said: “I personally believe the decision to suspend the player is illegal, this is the first time I’ve heard such discussions because the players were going out with permission and sometimes without permission. But after the loss [to Oman], they [UAE FA] changed the laws to punish the players.”

The Pride of Abu Dhabi’s Henk ten Cate was similarly perplexed. Mabkhout was absent as they drew 2-2 on Wednesday night with Dibba Al Fujairah.

He said: “I do not understand the punishment of a player with his club when the issue was with the UAE.”