Case involving Natxo and referee to be dealt with fairly - Hamidin

PETALING JAYA, March 30 -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has assured that a shoving incident involving Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player Ignacio Insa Bohigues and a referee during a recent Super League match will be dealt with fairly at its Disciplinary Committee meeting on Thursday.

FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said there was no question of favouritism in the case, as the committee was lined up with experienced and professional committee members, led by its chairman Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu.

“There is no need to worry, I am confident in Datuk Baljit's leadership and his line-up of committee members, because all of them are capable individuals. The decision will be made fairly,” he said when met by reporters after launching the SupaRimau League competition at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya here, today.

Ignacio Insa, who is better known as Natxo Insa, had shoved referee Noor Azriel Baharudin immediately after the 2-2 draw against Perak on March 21.

However, fans began questioning the time being taken by FAM to make a decision on the matter, as the FAM Disciplinary Committee meeting last Wednesday had handed down punishments on several players including Kelantan FC’s import striker Jack Hindle, who was found to have aggressively pushed a referee in a Premier League match.

Aware of the speculation among local fans with regards to Natxo and the quality of the refereeing, Hamidin stressed that FAM always ensured there was no interference from third parties or 'unseen hands' with match officials while they were on duty.

Meanwhile, FAM secretary-general Stuart Ramalingam said the case involving Natxo was, in fact, being discussed faster than the cases prior to this.

"If we look at the four cases before this, it took 13 to 18 days before they were discussed at the Disciplinary Committee. But for Natxo's case, only 11 days had elapsed from the time the incident occurred until it was brought to the committee.

"The Natxo case also happened three days before the first sitting of the Disciplinary Committee. So we have to follow the legal process, and give enough room to the player to defend himself," he said.

-- BERNAMA