A referee was allegedly assaulted at Yishun Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 21, during a National Football League (NFL) Division One game.

The referee, 37, suffered a minor injury to the neck as a result and was conveyed conscious to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The police were alerted to the incident at 6.42pm on Sunday, and are looking into a case of voluntarily causing hurt.

Shown red card

The "alleged assault incident", according to the Football Association of Singapore, occurred during a match between Gymkhana FC and Katong FC.

The referee was allegedly attacked by a Gymkhana FC player.

The Straits Times reported that the referee was allegedly hit in the face after he showed a red card to the player.

The card was shown at about the 80th minute of the game.

The referee, identified by ST as 37-year-old Lim Si Seng, received a blow to his face and neck after a crowd had formed around him.

The game ended with Katong running out 3-0 winners.

Player sacked immediately

ST identified the player involved as Jufri Hassan.

Gymkhana president Patrick Francis told ST that the player has been sacked from the club and a lifetime ban has been imposed so that he can never play for the club again.

Francis also said the player left the stadium before the police arrived. Francis then gave the authorities Jufri's contact number to aid investigations.

Statements were taken from relevant parties and witnesses, including club officials and match officials, FAS general secretary Yazeen Buhari told Channel News Asia in response to media queries.

An eyewitness told CNA the player "manhandled" the referee, who was later injured to the extent he "could not continue to officiate the game".

The injured referee was replaced by another official.

FAS investigating

FAS also told CNA it has started a disciplinary process in response to Sunday's incident and offered support to the referee.

Yazeen said FAS will take "strong action against the perpetrators".

Yazeen told CNA: "The FAS takes a very serious view on any behaviour that taints the sport and brings it into disrepute."

"As the matter is under investigation, we are unable to make any further comments."

Brawl in 2017

The NFL is FAS-affiliated and is Singapore’s second-tier football league after the professional Singapore Premier League (SPL).

In 2017, an NFL Division One match between the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association and Yishun Sentek Mariners ended in a mass fight.

Footage posted on social media showed players attacking one another.

Champions Yishun were fined S$5,000.

They had to start the defence of their NFL title with a five-point deduction.

Eight of their players were given fines ranging from S$300 to S$1,000, and suspensions ranging from four to 15 months.

The harshest punishments were reserved for two players. A 15-month suspension and a S$1,000 fine were handed out to them.

Safsa, on the other hand, received no sanctions but three of their players were punished.

One player was let off with a stern warning, while two others were suspended for four months and fined S$300 each.

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