Singapore
Plain clothes investigators raided the headquarters of the Football Association of Singapore and the premises of three football clubs on Thursday (Apr 20) shortly after SportSG announced that it filed a police report against Tiong Bahru FC for the misuse of club funds.
Investigators loading boxes after raiding Tiong Bahru FC clubhouse at People’s Park. (Photo: Noor Farhan)
SINGAPORE: Plain clothes investigators were seen at the headquarters of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and the premises of three local football clubs on Thursday (Apr 20).
The raids were conducted shortly after SportSG announced that it had filed a police report against Tiong Bahru FC for the misuse of club funds and an alleged attempt by a senior club official to obstruct the completion of audits of S.League sit-out clubs.
The police have confirmed that the report was lodged and that it will take appropriate action against “any persons who have committed offences in Singapore”.
Plain clothes officer inside the FAS office. (Photo: Howard Law)
Officers were seen at the FAS headquarters at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday afternoon, carrying cardboard boxes, asking to speak to personnel in charge.
Reporters outside the FAS office while plain clothes policemen were conducting a raid inside. (Photo: Howard Law)
Local media gathered were not allowed to enter the FAS office. As of 8.45pm, officers were still seen inside the building.
FAS confirmed in a statement early Friday morning that police visited its office, and said it had extended and would continue to extend its “fullest cooperation” to the police during their investigation.
“As investigations are ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further on the matter,” it added.
A team of investigators also visited Tiong Bahru FC’s clubhouse at People’s Park Centre at Upper Cross Street.
Plain clothes officers putting cardboard boxes into a police van outside Hougang United FC office. (Photo: Calvin Seah)
At Hougang United FC’s office located at Hougang Stadium, officers were seen loading up filled cardboard boxes into police vans.
Channel NewsAsia understands that the offices of Woodlands Wellington FC were also raided by investigators.
Mr Bill Ng, who is vying for the FAS presidency and leads the Team Game Changers slate in the leadership election on Apr 29, is the chairman for both Hougang United FC and Tiong Bahru FC.
In its statement on Thursday, SportSG expressed concerns over Mr Ng’s S$500,000 donation to the FAS in 2014.
Mr Ng told reporters that the national footballing body had asked him for a donation rather than a sponsorship for the now-defunct football club LionsXII but the general secretary of the FAS Winston Lee produced evidence which he claimed rebutted Mr Ng’s claims and showed that Mr Ng was fully aware that his S$500,000 donation was meant for the ASEAN Football Federation.
