SINGAPORE, June 9 — While friends and relatives of Muhammad Azreen waited anxiously for news of the Singapore sepak takraw player’s progress following a motorcycle crash on Sunday, his teammates struggled in their first contest since learning of the fatal accident.

The 25-year-old remains in a critical condition as a result of the crash that occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning with police confirming that his 21-year-old brother, who was riding pillion, died from injuries sustained in the collision.

Azreen underwent emergency surgery on Sunday and little was known of his condition until the Singapore National Olympic Council released a statement yesterday evening.

“He had a second surgery today and is now resting in the surgical intensive care unit. He is being monitored closely by his specialists for his progress and recovery,” Team Singapore’s chef de missions Tan Eng Liang and Nicholas Fang said in the statement.

Sepak takraw is a form of foot volleyball played with a rattan ball that is hugely popular in the region and is one of the showcase events at the ongoing Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

After receiving counselling and guidance from the Singapore Sepak Takraw Federation (PERSES), Azreen’s teammates took to the court yesterday morning to take on Indonesia in a men’s team pool contest in the 11-nation regional multi-sports gathering.

Appearing to still be suffering from the effects of the traumatic news, Singapore slipped to a 3-0 defeat to their local rivals, falling in straight sets in two of the contests, unable to raise their energy levels in a listless performance.

The squad were then given a rousing pep talk from Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Sam Tan in the corner of the arena, the politician praising their courage to even go out and play given the circumstances.

Regional powerhouses Thailand and Malaysia are the other two teams involved in the tournament.

Adding to the sombre tone surrounding the sepak takraw competition was a Games-wide observation of a minute of silence out of respect for the victims of the Mount Kinbalu earthquake that claimed 16 lives over the weekend.

The South East Asian Games Federation and the Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy on the nearby island of Borneo, where the death toll could rise further as two people remain missing. — Reuters