Fans weren't told match was cancelled

Some only found out after The New Paper told them that HK team had been quarantined

June 24, 2009

THEY were turned away, but not told why.

TURNED AWAY: Mr Sulasi leaves the college after the surprise announcement. TNP PICTURE: JONATHAN CHOO

Football fans headed to Jurong Junior College at 5pm yesterday to catch the Asian Youth Games (AYG) football match between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

But as soon as they arrived, they were told that the match had been cancelled, but weren't given a reason.

Unknown to them, the Hong Kong team was in quarantine after four of their players tested positive for the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

But this information was not conveyed to the fans.

This reporter - before identifying himself as one - was told the same message: The match has been cancelled but we don't know why.

Arriving at Jurong JC, a security guard immediately stopped me at the gate and said the match was cancelled.

He asked me to leave the venue.

'Everyone is leaving, no one is allowed inside,' said the 48-year-old who only wanted to be known as Steven.

When asked why, Mr Steven shrugged his shoulders and said: 'The match is just cancelled, that's it.'

Aetos auxiliary police officer Rahmat Jantan told The New Paper: 'I can't reveal to you the reason why the match was postponed. If you like, you can speak to the venue manager.'

But the venue manager was not at the JC's entrance.

Mr Rahmat also said that he and his team of eight officers arrived at the college around 2.40pm.

They were then told by the AYG venue manager that the match had been postponed.

Mr Rahmat declined to say if they were told why.

No reason given

But Mr Steven confirmed that the AYG officials he spoke to didn't tell him why the match was cancelled.

He said: 'In the half hour before the kick-off, I turned away two cars and roughly 20 people walking in, telling them that the match had been cancelled.

'But as I didn't know why myself, I couldn't give them a reason when they asked why.'

The New Paper managed to speak to some fans who had been turned away, and they all confirmed they weren't given any details.

Said Mr Anuar Aziz, 50, who was there with his wife and young son: 'They (the Aetos security officers) just told me that the match was postponed, but didn't offer me a reason.'

Another fan, Mr Sulasi Jamil, 48, also said the same thing.

The New Paper - which arrived at the scene at 5pm, after a 3.45pm press conference to announce that three players from the Hong Kong team had been confirmed with the H1N1 virus - told the fans the news.

Mr Sulasi was surprised.

He said: 'I think it is the duty of the AYG organisers to share more details with the fans who came down and get turned away because of the late cancellation.

'Especially since it's such an important reason like the H1N1 virus.'

The infected footballers are being treated at the Singapore General Hospital, while the rest of the team will be quarantined for the standard seven days at the Aloha Resort in Loyang.

The Philippine football team - already at Aloha since Saturday - tested negative for H1N1 after their latest throat swabs were taken yesterday.

But they will continue to be monitored and quarantined till Friday before being given the all-clear.

The one 14-year-old Filipino footballer who was confirmed with H1N1 on Saturday is now in the Communicable Disease Centre and is stable.