KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) disciplinary committee has imposed a lifetime ban on former Selangor FC centre-back Yazan Al-Arab.
The ban stems from an incident in the Malaysia Cup quarter-final second leg against Terengganu in September, where Al-Arab was found guilty of assaulting match referee Hasrol Amir.
The committee’s decision, grounded in Article 51 and Article 59 of the governing body’s disciplinary code, highlights Yazan’s breach of conduct during the match.
Specifically, he was charged with uttering derogatory words towards the referee (Charge 1) and aggressively assaulting the match official (Charge 2).
“Yazan will be suspended for four matches for the first charge, and he will be banned for life from being involved in any football activities – including football administration, management, and related activities in Malaysia for the second charge,” said FAM in a statement.
FAM added in the statement that the decision is subject to appeal.
Last month, Selangor FC’s disciplinary committee took an immediate decision to terminate Yazan’s contract who has made a total of 35 appearances and scored three goals for the club.
The 27-year-old expressed remorse for his actions on social media, attributing the incident to the psychological pressure he faced due to his cousin’s recent death.
“No words can describe my feelings at the moment. I apologise for my actions, and I will take this as a lesson to become better in the future.
“I’m sorry to Selangor FC and all the Red Giants fans. The incident happened in the heat of the moment and was due to the psychological pressure I faced due to my cousin’s death.
“I know that this is not a reason for me to do what I did, and it’s not in line with my character or what I’ve learned from Islam.
“I love this sport, I will continue, and I will never stop working hard, hoping for better days ahead,” said Yazan in his post.
Meanwhile, Selangor FC has also been charged with punishments relating to the offences committed by their club officials during the club’s 3-1 aggregate defeat against Terengganu in the Malaysia Cup quarterfinals at the MBPJ stadium.
A total of five officials, including team official Syafiq Iqmal Fozi, have been suspended for 10 matches and were fined RM 10,000 (appealable) for provocations and derogatory remarks made towards the referee officials during the match.
The Red Giants currently stand second in the Malaysia Super League with 52 points. — November 20, 2023