Commentary: Postponed football games are a missed opportunity to honour Queen Elizabeth II and Lim Kia Tong

Commentary: Postponed football games are a missed opportunity to honour Queen Elizabeth II and Lim Kia Tong

WOULD THEY HAVE WANTED GAMES POSTPONED?

And there is also the question, even if the answer can only be guessed at, of whether the  full or Mr Lim would have wanted the games to be delayed on their behalf. Indeed, the particular British head associated with state was a well-known sporting fan and it is thought to personify the particular phrase “keep relaxed and carry on”.

Mr Lim may not have been a household name, but fans associated with Singapore football would certainly know of his passion for the beautiful sport.

FIFA key Gianni Infantino stated that the world of football acquired lost “an excellent friend” and the Singapore banner was flown with half-mast at FIFA’s Zurich headquarters as an indicate of respect.

It isn’t really a leap to imagine that Mr Lim may well have desired the Singapore Premier League programme to visit ahead as planned.   Fans might have paid tribute in order to him and loved the sport that he and they also all loved.  

Football is a community event and one of the very regular and well-known ways for large numbers of people to gather together. Not allowing fans to attend just means they will simply go and do something else.

It is hard to see how watching television, going shopping or going to the pub is a higher show of respect compared to watching or playing football.

Everybody mourns in different ways. Let football supporters do so together if we want.

John Duerden is a Seoul-based writer who covers the region’s sporting scene. He is the author of four books including Lions & Tigers – The History of Football in Singapore and Malaysia (2017).