Should Safiq be let off the hook?

RECENT incidents involving Patrice Evra and Safiq Rahim highlight the pressures modern footballers face in dealing with abusive fans.

While Evra launched a kung-fu kick at a fan of his own club Marseille, Safiq was caught on camera hurling a vile insult at his detractors.

In the modern digital age, acts such as Safiq's are getting more difficult to get away with cameras and mobile devices capturing all angles of the pitch.

The video of Safiq using a foul word while celebrating Johor Darul Ta'zim's Malaysia Cup success over Kedah at the Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday, has since gone viral.

While Evra was red-carded for his pre-match assault and immediately banned by UEFA, Safiq only faces punishment if the incident is referred to the FA of Malaysia's disciplinary board.

But the question is, should Safiq be facing action at all when the verbal assault was aimed at nobody in particular as he was consumed by euphoria after the match?

Had Safiq not been caught on video using a word familiar with most Malaysians, nobody would have been the wiser.

Ever since joining Darul Ta'zim in 2013, Safiq has split opinion among the nation's fans when it comes to his performances for club and country.

Some believe Safiq no longer deserves a place in the national team, let alone wear the skipper's armband, especially after his unceremonious international "retirement" in 2016 and subsequent return to the national team.

Few players in the country face as much scrutiny as Safiq does, and the midfielder did not endear himself to journalists when giving them the slip after the national team returned home from a 2-0 defeat to Hong Kong last month.

Safiq does not usually shirk his responsibility as the national team's spokesman even in defeat, with last month's incident at the airport a rare occurrence.

Players should be allowed to express their frustration and provided an avenue to let off steam, but they need to be mindful that in this digital age, everyone is watching.