The Singapore Football team didn’t perform as well as expected during this SEA Games. If there’s any consolation, it’s that despite not scoring any goals for the first few games, they smashed it in the final group match of the tournament.
They scored 7-0 against Brunei.
This most definitely shows that they didn’t give up and gave it their all till the very end.
Good news right? Unfortunately, not all’s well that ends well:
FAS President Says Footballers ‘Let Down Entire Nation’ For Breaking Curfew; Gets Flak
To be very clear, the broken curfew incident happened before they played their final (and best) game.
“Let down the entire nation?” Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
According to The Straits Times, six footballers from the team broke curfew after they lost 3-0 to Thailand in their third match of the tournament.
Head Coach Fandi Ahman also said that he was disappointed in the six footballers for their actions and “have let them know as such”.
This was his full statement, “I am utterly disappointed with the players and I have let them know as much. They are here not only as representatives of the Football Association of Singapore but also Team Singapore and should have known the value of the flag they are bearing. This was another unnecessary set-back for the team during what turned out as a difficult campaign for us.”
However, it was FAS president Lim Kia Tong’s words that drew flak:
“The curfews in place, besides ensuring the players’ safety and security, are to instil discipline and to ensure that the players are well rested and ready to carry out their mission for the country in football.
“Breaking curfew hours is deplorable and totally against the very values which every footballer is expected to uphold as the ambassador of Singapore at competitions.
“Their acts were calculated and done with the blatant disregard of the Code of Conduct. At that stage of the Competition when they should have been fully focused on bringing pride back to the game for Singapore, their behaviour affected and dented the capability and morale of the team and they have let down the entire Nation.
“Without any question, they will face the FAS Disciplinary Committee which will be convened without delay after their return.”
And.. Wait for it…
“Their behaviour affected and dented the capability and morale of the team and they have let down the entire Nation.”
Funnily enough, (and as if to prove a point) the team scored seven goals in the matches after the curfew was broken.
Maybe they needed a late night out?
Netizens Not Happy
Obviously, netizens took to social media to express their unhappiness. Some went as far as to disagree and challenge Football Association Singapore (FAS).
However, one particular comment from a certain Jade Rasif raised a few good points.
In a Facebook post, she vehemently disagreed with the way the media was “shaming our SEA games players who broke curfew”. She also claims that it is a distraction.
Additionally, she points out that Joseph School snuck out and came back drunk in 2014 but still won a gold medal.
You can read it here:
Apparently though, back them, they had just gone out late to eat supper and were “neither unruly nor drunk.” But hey, they still broke curfew and were not accused of letting down the nation.
Unfortunately for the six footballers, disciplinary measures will be taken against them. Let’s just hope they aren’t serious.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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