Parents of children who are signed to play in the Football Association of Singapore’s (FAS) Singapore Youth League (SYL) which kicks off in February 2024 are up in arms over the agreement which their children are being asked to sign off on.
In one of the clauses on the agreement, it is stated that the “player is to subject himself to a dope and/or a polygraph examination when directed by the SYL/FAS in its absolute discretion.”
The parent of one of the children who will be participating in the SYL as part of a local club, called the clause rather “extreme”.
“Is the Football Association of Singapore serious about wanting to send children below the ages of 16 for polygraph tests?
“We are talking about children here.
“Why would I as a parent agree to that?”
The parent said that he ended up signing off on the agreement to not jeopardise his child’s opportunities to represent his club.
Another parent said that he was appalled at the existence of the possible use of polygraph testing for his child.
“The FAS is not a body which investigates crimes, nor is it the police or CPIB, and have no right to seek polygraph tests from a child.
“Are there no limits to the use of polygraph tests for minors in Singapore?”
Of late, the FAS has been seen to be using polygraph tests like a weapon.
Even though the polygraph testing was started in 2002 to check on the incidences of match-fixing in local football, it does appear that present day FAS has been utilising the use of the polygraph tests indiscriminately.
For example, a national footballer was sent for the polygraph test after the SEA Games final group match loss to Malaysia even though he was not even on the field during that match which Singapore lost.
What was the purpose then, for him to be subjected to the polygraph test?
More recently, the FAS asked its members of the panel convened to investigate the SEA Games debacle to subject themselves to a polygraph test after details of the internal report were leaked to the media.
According to the FAS in a social media post, 216 teams have signed up for the SYL.
MAIN PHOTO: UTR
