Thailand hands out long bans following brawl at SEA Games final

A coach, goalkeeper and two staffers were suspended for one year, and two other players received six-month bans, the association said in a statement adding that the incident had a “detrimental effect on the image of Thai and Thai football”.

Thailand and Indonesia players and coaching staff clash after Thailand’s Yotsakon Burapha scores their second goal. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Thailand’s football association on Tuesday suspended several players and staff members from a national youth team following brawls during their Southeast Asian Games final against Indonesia in Cambodia last week.

A coach, goalkeeper and two staffers were suspended for one year, and two other players received six-month bans, the association said in a statement adding that the incident had a “detrimental effect on the image of Thai and Thai football”.

The first brawl was sparked when the referee blew his whistle close to full time, and Indonesia’s players and coaches celebrated thinking they had won the game 2-1.

The whistle was in fact for a free kick, from which Yotsakorn Burapha scored an equaliser which triggered violent clashes between the two benches.

Indonesia went on to win the Under-23 match 5-2 after extra time, with Thailand reduced to eight players and Indonesia to 10 after four red cards were shown.