SINGAPORE – A Singapore Football League (SFL) 1 match on Saturday was abandoned in the 27th minute after the referee’s jersey was allegedly torn during an altercation with a player.
According to officials and players from the teams, Yishun Sentek Mariners and Warwick Knights, who declined to be named, the incident stemmed from a decision by the referee to award a penalty to the former after a Warwick player was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area in the 25th minute.
Yishun, who are fourth in the amateur eight-team SFL 1, were leading 1-0 against their seventh-placed opponents at the Yishun Stadium when the incident happened.
The penalty call sparked protests from Warwick, with a veteran player who made over 250 appearances in the S-League (now Singapore Premier League) allegedly using a vulgarity to question the decision.
He was shown a red card, but players on the pitch alleged that the referee had also used a profanity that was aimed at the player. The player then approached the referee while his teammates tried to pull him away. A short tussle with the player allegedly resulted in the referee being left with a torn shirt. While the referee eventually changed into a new kit, a decision was taken for the game to be halted.
When contacted, the player declined to comment on the issue, saying that he will wait for the matter to be discussed between him, his club and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).
In response to The Straits Times’ queries, FAS director of competitions Aloysius Vetha confirmed that the match was abandoned “due to an altercation that involved a Warwick Knights player and the referee” and added that the incident was deemed severe enough to compromise the safety and security of the match officials.
The FAS also confirmed that the police were alerted to this incident and the FAS and its officials will provide the authorities with the necessary cooperation and assistance.
Aloysius added: “Both the player concerned, and his club, will be taken to task before the FAS Disciplinary Committee for further investigation before it decides on the appropriate sanctions to be meted out.
“The FAS adopts a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence of any form, be it towards match officials, players, or club officials, and any such alleged behaviour has no place in football.”
In a statement on its social media page, Yishun said they believe the circumstances surrounding the decision to abandon the match warrant a thorough investigation by the FAS.
It said: “Our primary concern is to ensure a fair and just outcome for both the opponent and the match official involved. We trust that the FAS will conduct a fair review of the incident and take appropriate action.”
In a statement, Warwick chairman Andrew Lioe said the club “sincerely apologise to the fans and our opponents who came prepared for the game”.
He added that as the incident is under investigation, the club will not be making any comment on it, but added that both teams had wanted to continue the match.
He also called for a closed-door forum between SFL referees and club representatives before the start of each season to bridge the gap and misinterpretation of the game laws between both parties.
