In a recent grassroots football match, an incident unfolded where a father attempted to assault a referee with a metal rod after his son was shown a red card. A video uploaded by X user RonKemar captures the moment an individual grabbed the rod, allegedly intending to use it against the referee following the dismissal of his son from the game.
Anak kena red card kau nak amik batang besi pukul ref.
— RonKemar (@ronramka) July 8, 2024
Bola Malaysia ni dah la dah nazak, ada pulak orang macam ni jadi enabler kepada anak2 tunjuk perangai xsemenggah. Pundek betul mak bapak macam ni.
Kalau aku jadi coach aku perhambat keluar je player tu. Menyusahkan pic.twitter.com/tDhSdl8Pxc
Fortunately, no harm occurred as security personnel on-site intervened and prevented the enraged father from entering the pitch. The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with many condemning the father's inability to control his emotions and the poor example set for both players and spectators.
This incident is not isolated in grassroots and social football scenes. In a previous case, a referee filed a police report after being punched by a player during an amateur league match. The match in question took place at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Bharu, between FC Pirates and Ukay Positive, in the Footy Premier League.
During the second half of the match, the referee awarded a penalty to Pirates following a foul by an Ukay Positive player in the penalty area. Displeased with the decision, the player in question violently protested and punched the referee after receiving a yellow card.
In response to the incident, the league organizers issued a statement announcing the suspension of the offending player and a fine for Ukay Positive. The statement read:
"It is with regret that the league organizers announce the suspension of player Shaharudin (7) from Ukay Positive in the Footy Premier League 2024. This decision follows an incident during the week 4 match between Ukay Positive and FC Pirates.
"The match was halted for 20 minutes due to safety concerns and the trauma experienced by the referee. After assessing the situation, the competition committee decided that the match could not continue and terminated it immediately.
"The FPL condemns the aggressive actions of Shaharudin against the match official and has imposed a suspension from participating in the FPLSCL24 league. Additionally, Ukay Positive has been fined RM500.00."
These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges in maintaining sportsmanship and safety in grassroots and amateur football.
