The President of the Singapore Sepak Takraw Federation (PERSES) Nasri Haron has been banned from the sport in Singapore and across the world, a sanction imposed by the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (Astaf), which is helmed by another Singaporean.
The President of Astaf is Singaporean Halim Kader, whom Nasri had beaten to take over as President of PERSES in 2019.
Nasri’s ban takes effect from 30 November.
ASTAF said it had convened the disciplinary hearing over Zoom with members from India, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysia on 26 November over five “act of misconduct” charges against Nasri.
Astaf’s chairman of the disciplinary committee Yogendir Singh Dahiya also told Bernama news agency that Nasri will have to pay Astaf US$15,000 (S$20,300) for the cost of the international disciplinary committee, and will have two more years added to the suspension if he fails to do so.
The charges against Nasri, a former Deputy Superintendent of Police, were for making “written statements which are ungentlemanly, insulting and improper” and that he had “attempted to disrupt and/or destabilise the efficient administration of Astaf”,and “attempted to destroy Astaf’s independence in all matters directly or indirectly concerning the game of sepak takraw by seeking the aid of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the International Olympic Council (IOC) to intervene in the council elections of Astaf”.
Nasri was also accused of making “scurrilous and defamatory of the leadership and the executive council of Astaf” and had made these allegations in a letter and two e-mails that were sent to Astaf members, OCA and IOC in February 2021.
Nasri told the Straits Times that he will not appeal the ban.
MAIN PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN MALAYSIA, BERITA HARIAN