ISKANDAR PUTERI: The crown prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, officially confirmed on Sunday (Mar 25) his resignation as president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).He first announced his intent to resign as the head of the Malaysian football governing body on Mar 15 in a Facebook post.Following his official statement at the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP) congress, he was also officially appointed as chairman of the Malaysia Football League (MHL) which is the new name for FMLLP which is now undergoing a rebranding exercise. Tunku Ismail, who held the post of FAM president for one year, confirmed he had sent his letter of resignation with immediate effect to FAM secretary-general Hamidin Mohd Amin.Tunku Ismail explained that he had previously expressed his decision to lead FAM for a year to Hamidin. However, the FAM secretary-general later requested Tunku Ismail to … [Read more...] about Johor crown prince resigns as FAM President, appointed as Malaysia Football League chariman
Football
Syrian child footballer killed by shells on Damascus: State media
DAMASCUS: Rockets fired by rebels on the outskirts of Damascus killed a young Syrian footballer and wounded seven others on Saturday as they were training in the capital, state media said. Sana said the rockets hit a sports club in the capital's Mazraa neighbourhood, which also hosts the Russian embassy. Mohsen Abbas, the president of the Syrian army's football team, named the young victim as 12-year-old Samir Mohamad Massoud. "They hit the Al-Fayhaa sports centre with a shell, which took the life of a child and wounded seven others as they were training," said Abbas. He said Massoud played on the Syria army football team's youth league and had been training at Al-Fayhaa. "He was one of the most prominent youth players and had high morals," Abbas added. Sana said several other players on the U-15 team were being treated at hospitals in the capital. Al-Fayhaa is the capital's most well-known gym and the country's national teams train there. It has been hit several times by rebels … [Read more...] about Syrian child footballer killed by shells on Damascus: State media
Former assistant coach of Albirex Niigata Singapore football club gets 10 days’ jail for molesting teen
SINGAPORE - The former assistant coach of Albirex Niigata Singapore football club who molested a 14-year-old girl was jailed for 10 days on Friday (March 23). Japanese national Takafumi Mizuno, 30, outraged the teenager’s modesty twice on July 6 last year – once at around 5.40pm before tailing his victim to molest her for the second time 20 minutes later. Before sentencing him, District Judge Clement Tan noted that the girl was a vulnerable victim as she was only 14 years old. He also found that Mizuno had been persistent as he had followed her around to commit the offences. Mizuno first molested the girl in a shop in Jurong East Street 31. About 10 minutes later, the teenager entered a nearby supermarket and spotted him at the entrance. She saw him again when she left the supermarket and went to another shop. The girl went back to the supermarket after buying some items at this store. She was at the baking products section at about 6pm when she felt somebody … [Read more...] about Former assistant coach of Albirex Niigata Singapore football club gets 10 days’ jail for molesting teen
Shedding weight, scoring goals in Mexico’s obese football league
MONTERREY, Mexico: Dripping with sweat, the burly footballers sprint across the pitch seeking to score in Mexico's Heavyweight Football league, where points are awarded not just for goals but for shedding weight. Mexico is the second-most obese country in the world, after its neighbor the United States. But in the northern city of Monterrey, the amateur Heavyweight league is using Mexicans' passion for football to fight the problem. Co-founder Raul Pequeno says he got the idea while watching a professional football match on TV with his daughters a little over a year ago. "We were watching the (Monterrey) Rayados and I started criticizing a player named Edwin Cardona, because he looked a little fat," said Pequeno, 35. "One of my daughters said to me, 'You don't even play,'" recalled Pequeno, who weighed 157kg at the time. Today, he weighs 143kg. "She was completely right," he told AFP. The conversation got him thinking, and soon he was organizing a tournament for other men his size. A … [Read more...] about Shedding weight, scoring goals in Mexico’s obese football league
Beyond English, football & Coaching
“I dreamt of becoming David Beckham,” said 30-year-old Samuel Siew, sharing about his childhood ambition. Siew is one of five coach educators in Malaysia who trained under the Premier Skills programme run by the British Council. Like many other football fans, Siew dreamed of playing for one of the popular football clubs, Manchester United. You could say his dream came true, although slightly altered. In 2009, the Kota Baru-born was selected to participate in the Premier Skills programme, a partnership between the Premier League and the British Council, which uses football as a tool to develop brighter futures for the young around the world. It draws upon the Premier League’s global appeal and expertise in delivering community programmes in the United Kingdom, alongside British Council’s global network and track record of delivering world class English programmes. Instead of becoming a player, Samuel became a Level 1 Premier Skills Coach Educator. And although … [Read more...] about Beyond English, football & Coaching