The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has concluded its review of an incident involving Lion City Sailors’ Kyoga Nakamura and BG Tampines Rovers’ Takeshi Yoshimoto in a Singapore Premier League (SPL) fixture on 22 February 2026 at Jalan Besar Stadium.
In the 37th minute of the match, Nakamura was shown a yellow card after using his arm while challenging for the ball and making contact with Yoshimoto. The referee cautioned the player for the offence.
Review and Findings
The Refereeing Technical Panel (RTP) conducted a comprehensive review of the match footage and the referee’s report. After careful examination, the Panel unanimously determined that the on-field decision was incorrect.
Both the referee and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) had clearly seen the incident; however, the situation was not evaluated in line with the expected application of the Laws of the Game. The action met the threshold for Serious Foul Play and warranted a red card. Nakamura should have been sent off for the offence. In addition, the VAR should have intervened to recommend an on-field review in accordance with established VAR protocol.
Outcome
In line with FAS Refereeing Department protocols, the following actions will be taken:
- The matter will be addressed internally with the match officials concerned, and the requisite corrective and developmental measures will be undertaken.
- Referee Jansen Foo and Video Assistant Referee Abirami Naidu will be withdrawn from match appointments with immediate effect, for a period of two (2) and four (4) match rounds respectively. Their reinstatement to the SPL roster shall be subject to the successful completion of the prescribed remedial training and performance assessment requirements.
- Corrective measures will be implemented to ensure that match officials are able to correctly identify such situations and apply the Laws of the Game consistently.
As the referee had seen the incident and made a decision on the field of play, the on-field decision would have to be maintained, and the yellow card shall remain on record. Under Article 90.19 of the Singapore Premier League Season 2025/26 Regulations, there is no scope to take retrospective disciplinary action in this matter. Retrospective action may only be taken in cases of serious misconduct that was not seen or acted upon by the match officials at the time.
The FAS remains committed to upholding the integrity of the game and ensuring that all decisions are guided by fairness, transparency, and the Laws of the Game. Following the review of the incident, appropriate corrective action has been taken with the match officials concerned. FAS is also committed to maintaining high standards of officiating through the continual development, assessment, and accountability of its match officials, to ensure the highest level of performance.
