David Lee in Russia: Singaporeans with roles to play at World Cup

Functions include keeping referees in shape and giving technical and disciplinary advice

Basir Ellaya Kutty (centre), with (from left) Brazilian great Carlos Alberto Parreira and Dutch legend Marco van Basten
Basir Ellaya Kutty (centre), with (from left) Brazilian great Carlos Alberto Parreira and Dutch legend Marco van Basten PHOTOS COURTESY OF BASIR ELLAYA KUTTY, M. GANESAN, LIM KIA TONG
Fifa fitness instructor M. Ganesan (in black), with World Cup final referees (from left) Juan Pablo Bellati, Nestor Pitana and Herman Maidana at the Lokomotiv Stadium
Fifa fitness instructor M. Ganesan (in black), with World Cup final referees (from left) Juan Pablo Bellati, Nestor Pitana and Herman Maidana at the Lokomotiv Stadium PHOTOS COURTESY OF BASIR ELLAYA KUTTY, M. GANESAN, LIM KIA TONG
Fifa disciplinary committee members - Football Association of Singapore president Lim Kia Tong and his Iceland FA counterpart Gudni Bergsson.
Fifa disciplinary committee members - Football Association of Singapore president Lim Kia Tong and his Iceland FA counterpart Gudni Bergsson. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BASIR ELLAYA KUTTY, M. GANESAN, LIM KIA TONG
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Singapore may not be playing at the World Cup, but a handful of Singaporeans are making their presence felt in Russia.

Working alongside living legends Brazil's Carlos Alberto Parreira, the Netherlands' Marco van Basten and Serbia's Bora Milutinovic for the Fifa Technical Study Group (TSG) is Basir Ellaya Kutty.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on July 15, 2018, with the headline David Lee in Russia: Singaporeans with roles to play at World Cup. Subscribe