SINGAPORE - Lion City Sailors head coach Kim Do-hoon and Tampines Rovers assistant coach Mustafic Fahrudin have both been fined and suspended for three matches for clashing at the end of their teams' Singapore Premier League (SPL) match on July 24.

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) disciplinary committee on Wednesday night (Aug 10) meted out the punishments, which barred the errant duo from the dressing rooms and benches for their next three SPL games.

Kim was also fined $2,000 and Fahrudin $3,000.

In addition, the Sailors and Tampines copped a $5,000 fine each for the conduct of their players.

The suspensions mean that Kim will not be on the bench for the SPL leaders' matches against Young Lions (Aug 13), Tanjong Pagar United (Aug 20) and Hougang United (Aug 26), while Tampines will be without Fahrudin when they meet Tanjong Pagar (Aug 13), Albirex Niigata (Aug 19) and Young Lions (Aug 24).

A fifth charge - for the Sailors over the conduct of their fans - had been dropped by the DC at a hearing last week.

Then, the independent panel had found former South Korea striker Kim guilty of headbutting Fahrudin, an ex-Singapore midfielder, near the end of the game.

They had also found Fahrudin guilty of violent conduct for his reaction to the incident - he confronted the South Korean after the game, and was pictured with his hands around his neck.

Several players from both sides also became engaged in a shoving match as a fracas broke out following the incidents between the two coaches.

In a media statement, DC chairman K. Bala Chandran explained Fahrudin's heavier fine by saying: "(He) was seen via video footages to have moved towards (Kim) on three separate occasions, which unfortunately further escalated the situation, rather than defusing it.

"In this regard, the DC agreed that his actions merit the higher fine imposed.”

Sailors sporting director Badri Ghent said their club were dedicated to "working both within our own club and in the broader community to foster the values of respect and good sportsmanship" and added: "We regret that fans had to witness the unfortunate events that took place at the game (with Tampines).

"These events do not represent the values that we espouse as a club. We are grateful that the DC has dismissed the charges concerning the conduct of our spectators."

Badri said the Sailors aim to turn their full attention back to defending their SPL title and qualifying for next season's Asian Football Confederation Champions League.

A hearing was originally scheduled to take place four days after the match, but the FAS announced an adjournment mere hours before it was due to take place.

This was after the DC agreed to the Sailors' request for more time to "investigate the facts before... presenting their case".

This drew Tampines chairman Desmond Ong's ire, and he said his club were surprised by the decision and "shocked" by the way it was communicated to them - they received a formal notification more than four hours after a media statement was sent out by FAS.

Ong could not be reached on Wednesday night.

In previous cases of violent conduct involving local coaches and players, the FAS had meted out various punishments including fines as high as $10,000 and suspensions ranging from several matches to as long as 15 months.

The DC consists of an independent panel of members which oversee all disciplinary cases presented before it. Its findings, resolutions and penalties for cases are made without any involvement by the FAS council or its secretariat.