IPOH, Sept 12 —The Johor futsal team urged local sports fans not to immediately punish the players and the state as a whole following the fracas during a Group B match against Federal Territories in the 2018 Malaysian Games (Sukma), in Perak, today.
Johor futsal coach Ahmad Hanif Sarmin said the commotion took place in the final round of the game involving both sides.
“Those who do not know the real story should not make wild speculations,” he told reporters here today.
The issue of a brawl between Johor and Terengganu on Monday was still fresh when the 2018 Sukma was jarred by the commotion when the Johor’s futsal squad lost 4-6 to Federal Territories at the Manjung Indoor Sport Arena.
Commenting further, Ahmad Hanif, 32, insisted that no players were injured in the commotion, revealing that the two teams had apologised for their ‘‘less than polite behaviour” after the match.
Prior to this, the local media reported a serious fight involving the Johor and the Terengganu football teams occurred in a second Group B match at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Stadium.
The undesirable incident saw two Terengganu players, Mohamad Shafawi Mohamad and Mohammad Rahmat Makasuf and two Johor players Mohamad Hariz Kamarudin and Nur Ismail Sukandar being shown the red card by referee Mohd Afiq Ahmad Nadzir.
Meanwhile, National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail expected every state contingent leader to play a role in advising young athletes participating in Sukma ‘‘to control their emotions”. — Bernama
