Etoile, Hougang wait to learn their fate

Source

SINGAPORE - Last night, a five-man Football Association of Singapore (FAS) disciplinary committee began the hearing into the pre-match fight between S-League sides Hougang United and Etoile FC at Hougang Stadium on May 23.

After three-and-a-half hours at the Jalan Besar stadium, the committee, led by lawyer K Bala Chandran, adjourned proceedings until 7pm on Monday. Both clubs have seen their matches suspended after they were charged for bringing the game into disrepute.

Individual charges were brought against Hougang trio Fathi Yunos, Shariff Samat and assistant coach Hasrin Jailani, and Etoile's Serge Souchon and Hadama Bathily.

Souchon, 29, was absent last night as French club Etoile said he was playing for the Central African Republic in Bangui in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania today.

Club chairman Johan Gouttefangeas said he will only return to Singapore on Friday, which could result in a further adjournment of Monday's hearing. That will throw the RHB Cup match between Hougang and Malaysia's Young Tigers next Friday into jeopardy.

The entire Hougang squad turned up at Jalan Besar yesterday, while the Etoile camp only saw Bathily, skipper Antonin Trilles, chairman Gouttefangeas and another club official in attendance.

Hougang and Etoile have both taken reconciliatory steps in the build-up to the hearing, holding a joint press-conference denouncing the incident, and even putting on a football-tennis session on Thursday to aid the mending of relationships between both parties. Shamir Osman