Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Kuala Lumpur: AFC Acting President Zhang Jilong and General Secretary Dato’ Alex Soosay have conveyed their deepest condolences to the family and friends of George Suppiah, the first Asian referee to officiate in a FIFA World Cup, who died in Singapore on Friday morning after a long battle with diabetes.
Suppiah created history when he took charge of a first-round match between Poland and Haiti and worked as the linesman for the Sweden-Bulgaria and Holland-Brazil matches in the 1974 World Cup in then West Germany.
The 83-year-old former teacher was also a recipient of a special award from FIFA for being a referee instructor for 25 years and also the 2009 AFC Distinguished Service and Gold Service Awards.
Two months ago, the Malaysian Indian Congress presented him with the "Lifetime Achievement Award" while he was bedridden at the hospital.
“It was with great sadness that I received the news of Asian refereeing icon George Suppiah’s death,” AFC Acting President Zhang Jilong said.
“Mr. Suppiah was the face of Asian refereeing and made us all proud when he created history by becoming the first Asian referee to officiate a FIFA World Cup game in 1974 in then West Germany.”
Dato’ Alex Soosay said: “His refereeing skills and knowledge and implementation of the laws of the game provided an inspiration to the present generation of referees.
“This is a great loss to Asian football and the refereeing fraternity in particular.”
“On behalf of the AFC Executive Committee and the entire Asian football family, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and the football fraternity of Singapore. His great contribution to our confederation and the world of refereeing will never be forgotten,” Jilong added.
Photo: Goal.com