KUALA LUMUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has rested the match referee and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) official assigned to the Super League match between Perak FC and Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) in Iskandar Puteri, Johor last Sunday.
FAM deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram said the Referee Performance Evaluation Committee had conducted an analysis of the penalty incident in the 38th minute and the scuffle in the 84th minute involving JDT player Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi and Perak player Tommy Mawat Bada.
According to FAM Referees Committee chairman, the analysis of both incidents was conducted based on the Laws of the Game of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and found that the decisions of the match referee and VAR official were inaccurate.
"In this regard, the FAM Referees Committee has decided to rest the referee and VAR official involved for two matches from any refereeing duties in the Professional League and Amateur League.
"In addition to being rested for two matches, both referees will also be referred to the rehabilitation and enhancement phase before being given refereeing duties," he said in a statement today.
In the action at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, the match became 'heated' over a fight that broke out when Tommy Mawat tried to block Arif Aiman's run.
When teammates and referee Razlan Joffri Ali tried to break up the fight, Tommy Mawat was seen choking Arif Aiman before the JDT player was seen throwing a punch to Tommy’s head.
Without a VAR assessment, both players were only shown yellow cards and the situation came under control until the final whistle was blown which saw JDT beat Perak FC 5-0.
Meanwhile, Sivasundaram said FAM takes the issue of referee performance, including VAR referee, seriously and will not compromise on matters related to the performance and quality of referees, while reminding the players to control their emotions on the field
Meanwhile, in another development, FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman announced that the FAM General Secretariat had sent charge sheets involving the fight between Arif Aiman and Tommy Mawat to their respective clubs, on Wednesday
-- BERNAMA
