KUALA LUMPUR: Players kick the ball out of frustration when they are unhappy with referees. What happens if they kick referees?
Fifa technical referee instructor Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh said there be no mercy in punishment for the perpetrator.
Selangor defender Yazan Al-Arab was alleged to have kicked referee Hasrol Amir in the back after the final whistle in the Malaysia Cup quarter-final second leg against Terengganu on Sunday.
"For incidents like this, there should be no mercy," he said.
The FAM disciplinary board is expected to mete out punishment on Jordanian Yazan.
With more reported cases of violent players confronting referees in the M-League in recent years, Subkhiddin said the powers-that-be should work together to find a solution to protect the referees.
"Referees only have the power to control a match but they cannot retaliate on the pitch. It's not like in a boxing ring or a silat arena."