AWKWARD SITUATION
Referee substituted midway due to injury
IN a bizarre situation, referee Hamdan Awang had to be substituted after 63 minutes in Friday’s Super League match between Perak and Kedah in Ipoh.
In a rarely seen sight in football, Hamdan was forced to exit the pitch after picking up an apparent hamstring injury.
Fourth official Abdul Halim Ramlan was then nominated to take charge of the game.
However, Kedah coach Aidil Sharin Sahak did not want Abdul Halim to officiate the match as the fourth official is from Perak.
Match commissioner M. Elagoven was then called to the side of the pitch to handle matters and after much deliberation, first assistant referee (linesman) Shahreen Omar was chosen to handle the match, replacing Hamdan.
Abdul Halim was subsequently given the first assistant referee role.
The match, which ended 1-1, only resumed after about 30 minutes.
Aidil said: “This is my first awkward experience. You have a fourth official who is from the same state.
“May be, I am new here, but I think we have to always be ready for something unexpected.
“Honestly, the stoppage affected both teams,” said the Singapore-born coach.
Brendan Gan, who scored for Perak with a first-half volley, felt the delay cost his side maximum points.
“It is disappointing. The match was stopped for a long period, and the players were already warmed down when they had to restart the game,” said Brendan.
Based on the league’s regulations, referees who are injured are allowed 30 minutes for the medical team to assess his injury.
If he cannot continue, then it is the job of the first assistant referee to take charge of the match with the fourth official assuming the linesman role, which eventually transpired in the match.