Son of S'pore ex-footballer Baihakki Khaizan allegedly dropped from U17 team as he couldn't join team for friendly match to prepare for upcoming N-levels

*The article has been updated with FAS' statement*

Mika Bazil Baihakki is a national youth player, and the son of former actress Norfasarie Mohd Yahya and former national team footballer Baihakki Khaizan.

Baihakki is currently the head of planning for the technical division office at the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).

Recently made national debut

Mika recently made his national debut.

He also scored a hat-trick in the B Division boys' football finals, leading his team to victory.

Told he was dropped

On Aug. 26, Mika's mother, Norfasarie, put up a post on Facebook talking about how her son had apparently been dropped from the national team and was apparently told that he would no longer be considered for the upcoming AFC U17 tournament in November.

This was allegedly due to Mika informing management that he had to remain in Singapore during the September holidays to attend extra lessons and prepare for his N-level exams, which starts on Sep. 15.

According to the post, that is one day after the team's return from a friendly match in Bahrain.

Mika was then apparently dropped from the squad, told to return his kit, and, perhaps most importantly, informed that he would not be considered for the AFC U17 tournament.

Norfasarie noted that these measures were taken "not because of poor performance".

She added: "Not because of indiscipline. But simply because he made the responsible choice to prioritise his education."

She further revealed that there were nine other players also sitting for their N-level exams, and that all of them apparently wanted to stay behind to study, but went along out of "fear of the consequences".

She subsequently posed three questions in response to the incident.

"1. Why can’t a player who misses an overseas trip for legitimate academic reasons rejoin the squad after, to continue preparing for the AFC U17 in November?

2. Why are 16-year-olds being forced into such high stakes, unnecessary decisions, pressured to choose between education and football?

3. Why are scholarship boys training in Spain not reprimanded, even though they too did not make the trip to Bahrain?"

She added that this was not just about her son, but the system:

"No teenager should ever feel cornered into saying "yes" out of fear of being dropped."

Noting that the youths already struggle daily to balance the heavy demands of football and their studies, Norsafarie questioned the reaction to the request, as well as the planning of the matches.

"Instead of being guided, they are punished. Instead of being supported, they are silenced.

The Bahrain trip, scheduled right in the midst of a crucial academic preparation period, shows poor planning and a lack of coordination with parents and schools. With foresight and proper communication, this entire fiasco could have been avoided. Instead, the decision was made unilaterally, without any regard for the boys' holistic well-being."

She ended the post by saying how proud she is of her son for standing firm in his priorities, while admonishing FAS's new management for their "deeply misguided" new direction.

"And to the NEW management of FAS, know this: your so-called "new direction" is deeply misguided. When education is treated as secondary to serving someone else's agenda, it is not leadership. It is failure.

This is not about one boy or one trip. It is about building an environment where football and education are not in conflict, where young players are nurtured holistically, and where no child is ever forced to choose between the two."

You can read her full post here:

Speaking to Mothership, Norfasarie said Mika had informed the management weeks in advance that he would not be able to travel for the Bahrain trip from Sep. 6 to 14. She also said that the trip was on short notice.

She said no formal consent form was issued to her or her husband, and there was no written communication with the school.

"Mika is 16 years old and not in a position to make this decision independently without guidance from his parents and teachers."

Mika was allegedly told on Aug. 23 to confirm the decision by the next day, and if he chose not to join the trip, would be removed from the squad, excluded from consideration for the AFC tournament and required to return his national team kit and jerseys.

She also said as the Singapore Youth League registration had already closed, this would also leave him without a club, and he would not be permitted to join the national team for the friendly match on Saturday.

"This situation placed him in a difficult position, with conflicting demands between academic responsibilities and team commitments, without formal structures or support to navigate the decision."

Mothership has reached out to the FAS for comment.

FAS' statement

In response to Mothership's queries, FAS said they had held a briefing in May at Jalan Besar Stadium for all Singapore-based U17 shortlisted players, highlighting the main target for the year, the AFC U17 qualifiers.

FAS said that the players in attendance were "apprised of the training camps and tournaments lined up prior to November".

"In particular, the players were told of the proposed training camp scheduled from 6 to 14 September 2025 as this was the week of MOE official school holidays."

They said the players were also asked to give their "total commitment" for the training camps and tournaments.

According to FAS, players were told that they were required to commit to the following:

Training camp in Bangkok (21-29 June 2025)

Lion City Cup (8-13 July 2025)

Overseas Training Camps (6-14 September 2025) & (11-21 November 2025)

AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers (22-30 Nov 2025)

This is on top of a weekly commitment of five days a week for training and matches.

FAS however said they were "cognizant" of the number of U17 players that would be taking the N and O-level exams towards the latter part of the year.

They said it was made clear to the players that "preparation for the tournament will be highly intense and that a high level of self-discipline" would be needed to achieve a balance for both the tournament and their exams.

FAS then tasked players to communicate to their parents the "level of commitment expected and to confirm their ability to be present for each and every training camp and/or tournament".

"For players who subsequently felt unable or unwilling to commit fully, it was made clear that their decision would be respected but they would not be considered for selection for the U17 Asian Cup qualifiers."

Players who chose to "commit fully to the journey" were apparently made aware that they would be expected to "take their examinations without any special dispensation".

"Study periods would be scheduled into their training programs for the training camps, particularly the September training camp."

The players were also apparently advised that sacrifices to their personal time to prepare for studies when not training would have to be made.

They also said that the aforementioned requirements were relayed to the players and their families months in advance, and was "not a surprise for them", it was also made clear that "no exceptions will be made for any individual players".

"Football is a team sport. Any form of absence will inadvertently affect the training conditions and environment, ultimately leading to sub-optimal preparation for an official elite level competition at the Asian level. To fly the Singapore flag at such a major stage, 100% commitment is expected from the players."

FAS ended their statement by saying they value the "commitment and dedication" to the players and their families, and appreciate the sacrifices that players and their families make for the pursuit of "personal and national interest".

"The pathway to elite sports is not for everyone, but to ensure that Singapore mount a credible campaign at the U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, we have to prioritise the collective needs of the team instead of individuals.

We will not hesitate to continue to act in the best interests of Singapore football."

Image from FAS via Mika Bazil/IG