Dear Team Managers of VNNTU FC and Admiralz FC,
Date: 7th March 2010
Time: 1100 hours
Venue: Regent Secondary School
Please find below our findings collated from both of your teams of the abovementioned game.
VNNTU FC Report
This report is on behalf of VNNTU FC.
Regarding the game with Admiralz FC on the 7th March,
1) After the match, there was an unwanted physical conflict between the referee and one of the Admiralz’s players in the bathroom. We decline to give any further comments on its scale and consequence since we did not involve by any means to this incident.
We understand that it was a tight game between our team and the young Admiralz FC, especially under the scorching weather and the kick-off delay by the late arrival of the ref. However, it was a good game of football.
Admiralz FC Report
It is with deep regret to report that our player - Mr Louis Luo , had abused and intimidated the referee after our match with VNNTU F.C .
Mr Louis Luo has been dismissed from the club and will play no further role with Admiralz F.C. We had our own meeting with the players and Mr Louis Luo name has been deleted from the list of players in our club yesterday. We will not condone such behaviour from any of our players. We are ashamed of his actions and will accept any punishment necessary.
Although I had personally apologized to the referee , pls extend our utmost regret on this incident to him.
Admiralz FC Report 2
During the last 4 minutes of the game , Mr Louis Luo was in a tussle with another VNNTU's player for the ball.
During the tussle , VNNTU's player fell to the ground and reacted by kicking Mr Louis's thigh. Mr Louis was infuriated and scolded the player in a harsh manner.
The referee yellow carded both players and awarded a free kick to VNNTU. Mr Louis was not happy at being yellow carded and scolded the referee . The referee warned him and the game resumed and ended without further incidence.
As the players of both teams walked off the field together with the referee , Mr Louis continued to taunt the referee with comments on the referee's ability to referee and his "poor" decisions .
I personally scolded Mr Louis and told him to stop his actions. Mr Louis finally stopped . Some of my other players and myself apologised to the referee.
The referee agreed to let the matter rest and walked away to the opposite side of the field to take his belongings. Mr Louis proceeded to the changing room a distance away together with other players.
I and a few other players walked out of the school and waited for the rest just outside the school gate. A while later , Mr Louis was seen rushing out the school uttering bad words against the referee and telling us that the referee was swearing obscenities against his mother and also not to stop him from entering into a fight. The referee followed suit and told me that he cannot let the matter rest as Mr Louis
was intimidating him, cursing him and also swearing obscenities.
When both of them are out of the school's gate , Mr Louis reached out for his helmet . At this point , I and my players restrained him and told him not to continue his actions as this will affect the team's integrity and subsequent penalties. At the same time ,the referee told him that if he was a gentlemen , he should use his bare hands to fight him. Mr Louis place his helmet back on his motorcycle and continued vulgarities and abusive language but stopped after being restrained and warned by me. The referee told us that he will make a report accordingly. I agreed and the referee walked away.
According to my players that were present in the changing room , Mr Louis was there first and was talking to the other players whilst changing. Subsequently, the referee arrived and sat with some of my other players. He was giving some good advice to other players on the attitude they should display whilst in the football field apparently referring to Mr Louis earlier actions and bad temper.
Mr Louis overheard these conversations and approached the referee , challenging him to a fight if he ( the referee) is not happy and continued uttering degrading remarks and intimidating language.
The referee, obviously infuriated by the continued intimidations , took off his shirt , uttered a bad language which included the word "mother" and grabbed Mr Louis by his neck and both party were on the verge of exchanging blows when my other team players held back both men back and stopped them. This led Mr Louis to challenge the referee to face him outside the school .
The above report is prepared to the best of my knowledge and presence and also through feedback from some of my players.
There may be statements which may not be entirely true as some scenes were not clearly seen and views may differ.
We have made our investigations and we are not happy with Mr Louis attitude and concluded that his continued presence will tarnish the image of the club and football as a game.
Mr Louis is only 20 years old and a talented footballer. His presence is vital to the team but discipline is equally important. We hope he will learn his lesson and change for the better.
The referee was just doing his job and he was a very patient man. He may not be right in all his decisions but deserved to be respected. Hence the dismissal. I have warned all my players on the repercussions of such behaviour and hopefully this incident will not happen again.
Nonetheless ,we will abide by your decision and will accept any punishment necessary. We hope the above clarifies.
Referee Report
The admiralz team Chinese player no.8, attempt to assault the ref after the game with a helmet and swang it at him but was stopped by his teammates intervention.
The ref stated that a caution was awarded to the player earlier which might have escalated to this incident. Can we get the contact details for both the player and team manager.
The police IO is awaiting the details as the player also trailed the refs car in his motorbike LV2478 E after the incident trying to cause further harm to the ref.
ESPZEN COMMENTS
ESPZEN has neither cameras nor video evidence to be able comment on the remarks made by any team manager in such incident reports and generally speaking teams may cite off the ball incidents that may or may not have occurred. If the referee in charge did not see an off the ball incident then equally, the referee cannot comment and ESPZEN can take no further action regarding citations by team managers not witnessed by the referee.
If ESPZEN was to react to every off the ball incident based on a team manager hearsay then our leagues would become impossible to manage.
As such, ESPZEN base all incident report conclusions on the evidence of both teams and where facts may be distorted or ambiguous between two reports, we rely on the report of the referee as the neutral party and furthermore the referee is the entrusted official of the ESPZEN league.
Firstly, ESPZEN is very disappointed to learn of the said incident, incidents such as the above does not provide a good image of the ESPZEN league to third parties. If the pitch providers withdraw their pitches from ESPZEN, this would then lead to us having to adopt 3rd rate pitches for our leagues which would signal the start of the end for our company. We will not let any player or team destroy our relationship.
Lastly, the threat of physical violence among players or between player and referees will NOT be accepted under any circumstance in ESPZEN leagues, and in Football in general. All players are reminded to follow the spirit of FAIR PLAY andRESPECT towards Referees. Referees are only human, and makes decisions based on what they see on the pitch which maybe right or wrong. But by no means, should a Referee deserve to be treated with abusive behavior and threat of physical violence from the any player or supporter.
This kind of unsportsmanlike behavior has no room in Football and experienced players must always set an example to younger players to ensure proper knowledge is passed on.
We acknowledge the fact that Admiralz FC Mgmt has internally decided to take action by suspending Louis Luo from the club effective immediately. In addition, Admiralz FC have made an official apology to the Referee In charge in behalf of the player and the team.
General Rules
ABC4. The ESPZEN League does not condone swearing at referees. Such incidents are considered un-gentlemanly, and the referees are instructed to dismiss players for such acts. This rule extends to players, officials and spectators who are not on the field of play.
ESPZEN has a clearly defined policy for off the ball violence
Off The Ball Violent Conduct
OTB1. Should a player or players from a team be “red carded” for an act of violence (excluding the initial challenge for the ball – see OTB2) with the direct intention to cause serious injury (regardless of whether the player was the initial aggressor or not) the player will be suspended for a number of games (which ESPZEN will decide depending on the incident). The team may also be warned regarding the behaviour of their players on the field of play and in addition the team will also be deducted one league point.
OTB2. Note: the initial challenge for the ball is defined as two or more players competing for the ball. This is excluded from OTB1 as the referee will manage this situation on the field of play however should other incidents occur as a direct consequence of this incident or other off the ball incidents, these will be captured by the above ruling. Should a referee however feel there was serious intent from the initial challenge this can be highlighted to ESPZEN by the referee concerned only.
OTB3. Not more than one league point will be deducted from a team if it’s their first offence in a given season, however teams with repeat offenders may be deducted further points.
OTB4. An Off The Ball Violent Incident report must be submitted by email by one of the teams concerned in the game within 48hrs to ESPZEN. Incident reports submitted after 48hrs will be kept on file however no league point deduction will take, however ESPZEN will still (if confirmed by the referee) take action against the players involved in the incident. The incident report should only cite those players who were red carded by the referee. Failure to submit a incident report when requested will also result in a league point deduction and all decisions regarding the incident will be taken without the team’s evidence who did not submit the report.
OTB5. Players who are red carded for off the ball violent conduct in a cup game (if the team is knocked out the cup) may have their suspension carried forward to league games.
The above ruling was confirmed after a poll of all league managers in the league in January 2007.
The ruling is in place to ensure team manager(s)s do not select volatile players who could cause their team to lose vital league points or team manager(s)s substitute hot tempered players off the pitch when there is a chance a game is heating up. ESPZEN believe that peer pressure from within a team is the “most effective” control to ensure all games are played in the right spirit.
ESPZEN CONCLUDES
· Louis Luo of Admiralz FC will receive 6 months SUSPENSION and is effectively banned to play in any ESPZEN Leagues/Tournaments during this period. He can rejoin the league only on 1-October-2010 (at Admiralz FC discretion) and should he be involved in a future incident he will be banned permanently from the league.
· Admiralz FC will receive 1 league point deduction for failing to control the actions of their player, Louis Luo.
· An official police report has been made by the referee concerned and the investigation is underway. ESPZEN will cooperate with the Police should further action be taken where deemed fit
The purpose of ESPZEN Leagues is to provide a professional, competitive, and fun platform in which to enjoy our favorite sport. The threat of physical violence between players or players and officials will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
We sincerely hope Admiralz team managers will use this incident as a REMINDER to all their players to respect the rules set by ESPZEN and Football in general if they want to compete in the premier football league tournament in Singapore.
There is no right of appeal to the findings above and we consider the issue above as closed.
Enjoy the rest of the season
Best Regards,
Miguel
