KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is currently in the midst of taking decisive action against Selangor FC’s center-back, Yazan Al-Arab, for assaulting referee Hasrol Amir after the recent Malaysia Cup quarter-final second leg against Terengganu.
FAM’s secretary-general, Noor Azman Rahman, said that the issue is currently under discussion with the disciplinary committee, and if Yazan is found guilty, he may face a six-month suspension.
“We have already submitted a special report about the player to the committee, and they will decide the extent of the punishment for both the player and the club due to the disruptions caused.
“Players need to maintain professionalism, and we at FAM have consistently reminded them that there is always a proper way to express dissatisfaction during a game.
“There is no need for violence when issues can be resolved diplomatically,” Azman said during the launch of the Unity Carnival in conjunction with Pesta Bola Merdeka today.
Azman also mentioned that FAM is working on amending the referee protection act to prevent such incidents from happening again.
“We at FAM are deeply disappointed with these recurring referee-related issues.
“I am also waiting for a final report from the referee’s committee, and we are in the process of amending and strengthening the rules of the referee act to better protect our referees in the future,” Azman said.
Azman said that he is aware of the official statement made by Selangor FC, but FAM has not yet received a formal letter from the club.
“I am aware of the club’s statement, but we have not received any reports from them expressing their dissatisfaction with the quality of refereeing during the match,” Azman added.
On Sunday, the Red Giants were eliminated after a 3-1 aggregate loss, following a 1-1 draw in the second leg.
Terengganu took the lead with Ivan Mamut’s penalty in the 23rd minute, while Selangor scored the equaliser with Safuwan Bahararuddin’s header in the 69th minute.
After the final whistle, Yazan was sent off for kicking the match referee. – September 27, 2023