sports
FAM accepts Sarawak’s appeal to delay empty-stadium ban
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) disciplinary committee has agreed to defer the decision requiring Sarawak to play two matches behind closed doors.
The disciplinary committee today allowed the Sarawak Football Association's request to play its Super League match against Kedah at the State Stadium in Petra Jaya on Saturday under normal circumstances.
However, Sarawak will have to play its two other home matches – against T-Team on April 9 and Pahang on April 23 – behind closed doors at the State Stadium.
Sarawak Football Association secretary-general Abdullah Julaihi in a statement today said fans could now come and watch the match against Kedah on Saturday.
"I urge fans to come and watch the match without causing any untoward incidents. Fans should also avoid bringing in banned items like flares, firecrackers or throw objects on the pitch," he said in the statement.
Abdullah said any unwanted incident would further aggravate the situation and hamper Sarawak FA's appeal against the two match band and RM25,000 fine imposed by FAM on March 4.
"Playing in an empty stadium will also incur huge losses to FA because there will be no gate collection while innocent fans and supporters will not be able to watch the match for no fault of theirs," he said.
He added that Sarawak FA would tighten security at the stadium with assistance from the police, RELA and the Civil Defence Department.
FAM had initially ordered Sarawak to play their next two Super League matches against Kedah (March 12) and Terengganu FC II (April 9) at the State Stadium without fans after fans lit fireworks and threw objects onto the pitch in the match against Felda United on February 16.
Sarawak fans were also alleged to have thrown stones at the Felda United team bus and a match official’s vehicle after Sarawak lost the match 1-2.
Sarawak FA had earlier been slapped with a RM80,000 fine and ordered to play two matches behind closed doors. In 2012, they were forced to play three matches in an empty stadium after fans misbehaved. – Bernama, March 9, 2016.
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