KUALA LUMPUR: A football legend slammed the referee, but the FA of Malaysia (FAM) praised the referee concerned instead.
Sri Pahang coach Fandi Ahmad had blasted referee Ahmad Zuhadi Dzulkifli after his side's 3-1 loss to Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) in the Super League match at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Tuesday.
But FAM deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram, who is also the referee committee chairman, said: "Reports from the Referee Assessor confirm that both the referee and VAR officials excelled in their roles during the match.
"Their decision to award a penalty in the 90+4 minute and issue three yellow cards were both accurate and aligned with Fifa's laws of of the game and VAR protocols," said Sivasundaram.
He added that a thorough review conducted by FAM's referee unit supported these findings.
Sivasundaram said FAM remains committed to upholding excellence in refereeing standards and maintaining zero tolerance for subpar performance.
Singapore legend Fandi felt that Ahmad was unfair to his team as he showed three yellow cards to Pahang while no JDT players were booked despite often fouling Kpah Sherman.
"What I find most unacceptable and to be frank, is the standard of officiating. Football felt more like rugby," Fandi had said at the post-match press conference.