Local celeb Norfasarie’s post on son’s omission from U-16 football team goes viral; FAS responds

SINGAPORE – Netizens are divided after a social media post by a Singapore youth footballer’s mother went viral on Aug 27, following her son’s omission from the national Under-16 team for forgoing an overseas training stint in Bahrain to prepare for his N-level exams.

The mum, Norfasarie Mohd Yahya, said that her son Mika Baihakki had told the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) that he needed to remain in Singapore during the week-long September school holidays “to attend extra lessons and prepare for his N-level examinations, starting on Sept 15, just one day after the team’s return from Bahrain”.

Norfasarie, an actress-singer turned entrepreneur, added that Mika, 16, was told to return his kit and was informed that he would no longer be considered for the Under-17 Asian Cup qualifiers in November. Mika’s father is former Lion Baihakki Khaizan, now the head of planning at the FAS’ technical division office.

In a lengthy post shared on social media, which has garnered over 9,000 likes on Instagram and over 500 shares on Facebook, she questioned the decision, asking: “How is it fair to penalise a young, committed national player for choosing his crucial national examinations over a friendly game in Bahrain?”

She added that it is not just about “one boy or one trip”, but “about building an environment where football and education are not in conflict... where no child is ever forced to choose between the two”.

The U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers are from Nov 22 to 30 in Vietnam.

Singapore are in Group C with the hosts, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Northern Mariana Islands and Macau.

In the lead-up to youth tournaments, teams often hold training camps and friendly matches to build cohesion and gain valuable competitive experience.

In response to a request for comment, an FAS spokesperson said in a statement on Aug 27 that it held a briefing in May for all shortlisted U-17 players based in Singapore, highlighting that the U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers are the main target for 2025.

As part of the preparation, players were informed of the training camps and tournaments leading up to the qualifiers, in particular the Sept 6-14 training camp, as it was scheduled for the week of the school holidays. 

They were also told to commit to the following: a June 21-29 training camp in Bangkok, the Lion City Cup (July 8 to 13), another overseas training camp from Nov 11 to 21, on top of a weekly schedule of five days for training and matches.

“Given the emphasis on the U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers, the players were also asked for their total commitment in relation to the training camps and tournaments lined up,” said the spokesperson.

The FAS was also cognizant of the fact that a number of the U-17 players would be undergoing either the N- or O-level examinations in the latter part of the year.

It made it clear to all players that the tournament preparation would be “highly intense and that a high level of self-discipline will be required to achieve a good balance” between football and studies.

For players who could not commit fully, it was made clear that their decision would be respected, but they would not be considered for the qualifiers, while those who chose to commit fully would be expected to take their exams “without any special dispensation”.

The spokesperson added: “Study periods would be scheduled into their training programmes for the training camps, particularly the September training camp.

“They were also advised that they would have to be disciplined and make sacrifices on their personal time to prepare for their studies when they are not training.

“The players and their families were informed of these requirements months in advance for their planning purposes; and (it is) not a surprise for them. It was also made clear that no exceptions will be made for any individual players.”

Expressing its appreciation for the sacrifices made by both players and their families, the spokesperson said: “The pathway to elite sports is not for everyone, but to ensure that Singapore mount a credible campaign at the U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers, we have to prioritise the collective needs of the team instead of individuals.”

Many of those who responded to Norfasarie’s post empathised with the situation, with some expressing their support for Mika and thanking her for speaking up.

Intan SB commented on Facebook: “Supporting our young athletes in both education and sport should be the way forward. Our young athletes deserve better support, not punishment for valuing education.”

Linus Ng on Facebook urged the family to “look further” and added: “After exam, train well and he will get back to the team... as he already established a standard at national level... Miss this round doesn’t mean he misses another round.”

But there were also those who saw the other side of the coin.

One of them, who goes by the Instagram handle the_fatfrog, felt Mika would have been accused of getting preferential treatment because of his father, if he remained in the team.

He wrote: “I feel for your son. But if the coaches allow Mika to miss the trip but still remain in the team... people gonna talk ‘Oh it’s because he’s Bai’s son... so he get special treatment’.”

Isnor Dzulkarnain Jaafar, who commented on Facebook, thought it was a fair outcome.

He said: “Those who are prepared to make the necessary sacrifices for football will have their place in the squad.

“If a player chose to prioritise studies instead, that is entirely his decision, and they will respect it, but you should not expect to hold a position in the squad.”

Another Facebook user Jai Lim concurred: “Just my opinion, everyone has their priority in their life. Your son set N levels as his priority and FAS had their priority too. They want the team to gel... for the tournament.

“It is a good opportunity to let your son learn how to set his priority. Let’s not mention fairness in this situation. FAS had their priorities too.

“In life stage, we need to sacrifice one to prioritise on another. We can’t have the (best) of both worlds. Since your son had chosen to prioritise his education, just follow it.

“If he is good, he will (have) his chance again in the next stage. Don’t expect the world to be working around you. We need to learn to work and adjust to find our (priorities) in life.”