<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Jordanian football fracas: Three concerns
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I MADE three observations after reading reports on the Singapore-Jordan Asian Cup qualifying football match at the National Stadium on Jan 28, and the violence that erupted afterwards.
First, the match attracted only 6,188 fans. Considering that around 45,000 Singaporeans turned up at Kallang the previous month to support the Lions against Vietnam in the Asean Championship semi-finals, almost 39,000 Singaporeans chose not to show up at a more important match.
The Jordan match was a continental championship qualifier. A continental championship, be it the Asian Cup or the European Championships, ranks second after the World Cup. The Vietnam game was only a regional championship match, which is officially classified as a friendly by the world football governing body, Fifa.
I believe many fans' support of the Lions depends more on the perceived chance of a realistic victory than the importance of the match. If most Singaporeans turn up at the stadium only when their team has a good shot at winning, we are light years away from a healthy, vibrant sports culture.
Second, the Jordan match was not shown on free-to-air television. From The Straits Times' TV listings, I understand MediaCorp did not even carry a delayed telecast. Why not?
The Lions are doing their utmost to earn the right to compete in the Asian Cup finals for the first time in more than a quarter of a century, yet our national broadcaster did not even deem the match to be significant enough to broadcast it. What a shame, given that part of the TV licence fee is supposed to fund the broadcast of local sports programming.
Finally, it was reported that Jordanian officials refused to allow the police to take statements from their players on the night of Jan 28, and the visitors also refused to cooperate with the police when they tried to take statements at Changi Airport before the team left the following day.
I hope our football players and officials will eventually get the justice they deserve.
Michael Ang
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I MADE three observations after reading reports on the Singapore-Jordan Asian Cup qualifying football match at the National Stadium on Jan 28, and the violence that erupted afterwards.
First, the match attracted only 6,188 fans. Considering that around 45,000 Singaporeans turned up at Kallang the previous month to support the Lions against Vietnam in the Asean Championship semi-finals, almost 39,000 Singaporeans chose not to show up at a more important match.
The Jordan match was a continental championship qualifier. A continental championship, be it the Asian Cup or the European Championships, ranks second after the World Cup. The Vietnam game was only a regional championship match, which is officially classified as a friendly by the world football governing body, Fifa.
I believe many fans' support of the Lions depends more on the perceived chance of a realistic victory than the importance of the match. If most Singaporeans turn up at the stadium only when their team has a good shot at winning, we are light years away from a healthy, vibrant sports culture.
Second, the Jordan match was not shown on free-to-air television. From The Straits Times' TV listings, I understand MediaCorp did not even carry a delayed telecast. Why not?
The Lions are doing their utmost to earn the right to compete in the Asian Cup finals for the first time in more than a quarter of a century, yet our national broadcaster did not even deem the match to be significant enough to broadcast it. What a shame, given that part of the TV licence fee is supposed to fund the broadcast of local sports programming.
Finally, it was reported that Jordanian officials refused to allow the police to take statements from their players on the night of Jan 28, and the visitors also refused to cooperate with the police when they tried to take statements at Changi Airport before the team left the following day.
I hope our football players and officials will eventually get the justice they deserve.
Michael Ang
