Sepak takraw federation chief Nasri Haron banned for 10 years by Asian body
Nasri Haron, president of the Singapore Sepak Takraw Federation (Perses), has been banned locally and internationally for 10 years, starting from Nov 30, by the sport’s Asian body.
He was also ordered to reimburse the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (Astaf) US$15,000 (S$20,300) to cover the cost of convening an international disciplinary committee, failing which he will be handed an additional two years of suspension.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, Astaf said it had convened the disciplinary hearing via Zoom with panel members from India, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysia on Nov 26 over five “act of misconduct” charges conveyed to Nazri, with a sixth charge withdrawn.
The first charge asserted that Nazri had “made written statements which are ungentlemanly, insulting and improper”.
The other four charges stated he had “attempted to disrupt and/or destabilise the efficient administration of Astaf”, and “attempted to destroy Astaf’s independence in all matters directly or indirectly concerning the game of sepak takraw by seeking the aid of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the International Olympic Council (IOC) to intervene in the Council elections of Astaf.”
These were in relation to statements Nazri had made that are “scurrilous and defamatory of the leadership and the executive council of Astaf”.
He made these alleged statements in a letter and two e-mails that were delivered to Astaf members – and later copied to officials in the OCA and IOC – in February last year.
In an earlier interview with The Straits Times, Nasri confirmed he had sent the letter and e-mails in question, but stressed that he had not violated the terms of the Astaf constitution.
He has “21 days upon the receipt of the written notification of the decision of the Astaf disciplinary committee” to lodge an appeal to the Astaf president with an appeal fee of US$2,000 payable to Astaf before it is heard by the Astaf appeal board/committee.
The 63-year-old, a former Deputy Superintendent of Police, told ST on Saturday that he would be not be appealing against the ban and would release a statement soon.
In November 2019, Nasri ousted veteran sepak takraw official Abdul Halim Kader 12-9 in a Perses election.
Halim, 71, had been Perses president since 2000, except during 2013-2015, when he served as general secretary, a role he had previously held from 1982-1999.
Despite being voted out of his leadership position in Perses, Halim remains the president of Astaf, a position he has held since 2004.
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