FAS may sanction Home duo for not joining U-23 side

AS IF losing skipper Baihakki Khaizan and midfielder Tengku Mushadad was not enough, the Singapore U-23 team were hit by another double blow yesterday.

Juma'at Jantan and Kamarulariffin Abdul Karim did not travel with the team to Alor Star for today's Malaysia FA Cup first-round tie against Kuala Muda Naza.

They are likely to face sanctions from the Football Association of Singapore.

The pair did not show up at Changi Airport for the 11.05am flight to Penang.

The Home United defenders, who played the full 90 minutes against the Korean Super Reds on Sunday, asked to be excused from the trip.

'They sent me an SMS at about 11pm on Sunday saying they couldn't make it,' said the U-23 squad's team manager Eugene Loo.

Juma'at said his left thigh was strained, while Kamarulariffin said he was tired after the S-League game.

Both players confirmed this when contacted.

Juma'at declined further comment, while Kamarulariffin said he was celebrating his birthday.

'I tried contacting them repeatedly, but they didn't pick up or return my calls,' added Loo. 'They are still part of the team, and should have travelled with us.'

Home's team manager K. T. Velu said that, as far as Home were concerned, they had allowed the players to go.

The Protectors' other players in the U-23 side, Shahril Ishak and Shahril Alias, travelled with the team.

Last week, the Ministry of Defence said Baihakki and Tengku were not cleared to play in this season's S-League because they were carrying injuries and were medically excused from military training.

This extended to national team call-ups, said Loo.

P. Sivakumar, the FAS' chief of development and planning, said he received a report from Loo yesterday on the Home players.

'I have made the appropriate recommendations to the FAS for action to be taken against the players,' he said.

It is understood that among the sanctions the FAS can impose on the duo are fines and/or suspensions from club and national games.

Under S-League rules, players who do not answer national team call-ups could be restricted from playing for their club for the period of the call-up, plus five days.

The call-up for the U-23 side is until tomorrow.

LEONARD LIM