PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur are facing their worst possible start to the Super League season.
The City Boys could potentially be fined another RM50,000 and suffer a second automatic defeat if they are unable to play in the Super League match against Kuching City tonight.
This follows the Malaysian Football League (MFL) rejecting the City Boys’ application to postpone the match, which was scheduled to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras.
The decision was made by the MFL Board of Directors at a special meeting yesterday with the match remaining to be played according to the set schedule.
“If Kuala Lumpur City FC do not play in the match, then a 3-0 victory and three points will be given to Kuching City FC, in addition to the home team being fined RM50,000.
“MFL stress that every club participating in the Malaysia League competition are responsible for fully complying with the competition rules and all official instructions of the MFL to ensure the smooth running and integrity of the competition is always maintained,” said the MFL in a statement.
KL were fined RM50,000 yesterday and required to pay all damages and related costs decided by the MFL after the Super League match against Negri Sembilan at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi last Saturday could not take place at the last minute because the players were infected with influenza.
The MFL Board of Directors also decided that Negri were awarded a 3-0 victory and three point.
The decision was made after the MFL Board of Directors found that KL failed to manage player registration matters in advance, resulting in the failure to prepare a complete team to play against Negri.
In a statement, the MFL announced that, as a result of a check through the MyPAS system last Saturday, it found that KL only registered 12 players – 11 players and a goalkeeper. KL chairman Syed Yazid Syed Omar has been reported as saying that it was likely that the squad’s next two matches against Kuching City and Police would have to be postponed due to a shortage of players.
According to him, five players including a team official, have tested positive for influenza while other players are also experiencing symptoms of the disease. The players who tested positive had to undergo quarantine and rest for at least a week.
