FAM awaiting report on player killed in suspected lightning strike

KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is awaiting a full report from the Melaka Football Association and the match organiser on the death of a player who was believed to have been struck by lightning during a friendly in Melaka yesterday.

FAM secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman said the report would review the chronology of events and the actions taken, and identify areas for improvement in game safety management.

“On behalf of FAM, I would like to express our condolences to the family of the player who died in the suspected lightning strike during the friendly between Rembau Indian Veteran FC and Tanjung Minyak FC at Padang Kompleks Rakan Muda Lendu, Melaka, yesterday.

“FAM takes a serious view of this heartbreaking incident and hopes all parties will give authorities the space to conduct investigations to determine the actual cause of the incident,” he said in a statement today.

He said the tragedy should serve as a reminder to the football community to always prioritise safety.

He also urged all state football associations, clubs, academies and match organisers to closely monitor weather conditions before, during and after games.

He said FAM also encouraged organisers to consider using a lightning detection system at competition venues.

“This system can detect lightning activity in real time and issue early warnings to match officials, enabling them to make timely decisions on safety.

“The lightning detection system is used in many competitions, including professional leagues, as part of their risk management procedures,” he said.