Referees ● May 29, 2012
Referee R Aravinthan handed two-month suspension from all refereeing duties
SINGAPORE, 29 MAY 2012: The Football Association of Singapore Referees’ Disciplinary Committee (DC) convened yesterday at the Jalan Besar Stadium, to hear two charges against FAS Referee Mr T Aravinthan.
The FAS Referees’ DC was chaired by FAS Referees’ Committee Deputy Chariman, Mr M Maniam, and included three legally trained persons who are independent of the FAS Referees’ Committee, namely Mr Ramesh Tiwary, Ms Christina Goh, and Mr Matthias Ang.
The first charge was that Mr T Aravinthan on 19th May, 2012, as a FAS Referee arrived late at 4.55 pm for the NFL Division 1 match, scheduled to be played at 5.00 pm, between Police SA and Eunos Crescent FC at Old Police Academy Ground, Thomson Road, Singapore. The second charge relating to the same match was that Mr T Aravinthan, arrived at the match venue intoxicated thereby he acted unprofessionally and brought dishonour and disrepute to the Football Association of Singapore.
Mr T Aravinthan, pleaded guilty to the first charge and was handed a two-month suspension from all refereeing duties.
Mr T Aravinthan, pleaded not guilty to the second charge and gave evidence to the Referees’ DC that he was not at any time, intoxicated when he reported at the above mentioned venue for his refereeing duties. He informed the Referees’ DC that he had indeed consumed alcohol the night before during a family gathering and hence there was some smell of alcohol in his breath.
The Referees’ DC questioned the other witnesses, namely the AETOS officer who stopped Mr T Aravinthan from entering the premises at the Old Police Academy Ground, Thomson Road, the FAS match inspector and the other two match officials appointed for the above-mentioned match.
These witnesses informed the Referees’ DC that there was some smell of alcohol coming from Mr Aravinthan.
The Referees’ DC concluded after hearing the evidence of the witnesses as mentioned above, that Mr Aravinthan was not intoxicated or drunk when he reported for duty. It was also established that Mr Aravinthan had consumed alcohol at a family gathering the night before and as a result there was some smell of alcohol in his breath.
Mr Aravinthan was therefore found not guilty of the second charge.
He was instructed by the Referees’ DC not to consume any alcohol 24 hours before any match he was due to officiate.
In this regard, the Referees’ DC has recommended to the FAS Referees’ Committee to amend the FAS Referees’ Code of Conduct to include a new clause, prohibiting any of our FAS Referees from consuming alcohol, 24 hours prior to any of their domestic appointments.
Mr M Maniam mentioned: “The Referees’ Disciplinary Committee unanimously came to the conclusion having heard the witnesses that Mr T Aravinthan was not intoxicated or drunk, when he reported for his duties. Having said this, the committee would like to reiterate our position that FAS will not hesitate to punish any of our match officials, should they bring disrepute to the organisation. I hope that this will be the last time that any of our FAS Referees appears before the Referees’ DC for being late for any of their officiating duties.”
FAS hopes that this sentence meted out by the FAS Referees’ Disciplinary Committee serves as a reminder to all match officials to adhere strictly, the FAS Referees’ Code of Conduct. The FAS Referees’ Code of Conduct will be amended to include the new clause as proposed by the FAS Referees’ DC.
