A Myanmar footballer enjoying for a Malaysian membership has been hit with a one-match ban for flashing the three-finger salute utilized by anti-coup protesters throughout a sport, an official mentioned Tuesday.
Hein Htet Aung, who performs for second-division facet Selangor FC II, made the political gesture throughout a match in opposition to PDRM FC in early March.
An image of him flashing the image went viral, and he was discovered to have damaged guidelines prohibiting offensive gestures or language, Malaysia’s soccer affiliation mentioned, including that his conduct was “unsportsmanlike”.
Hein Htet Aung was banned from enjoying in a sport in opposition to Perak FC II this Friday, and will face heavier penalties if he repeats the offence.
“Football must be above race, religion and politics,” Baljit Singh Sidhu, chairman of the affiliation’s disciplinary committee, advised AFP.
“Football must be used to unite people and not to divide them — and should not take sides with anybody.”
The three-finger salute, impressed by the Hunger Games movies, has turn into an emblem of resistance in Asia, first used broadly by Thai pro-democracy protesters final 12 months.
It was additionally adopted by pro-democracy demonstrators in Myanmar after the navy seized energy and detained civilian chief Aung San Suu Kyi in February.
The coup triggered huge protests nationwide however the navy has used growing brutality to quell the motion, with over 500 killed in the crackdown thus far.
