Johor Darul Ta’zim have been hit with a hefty USD24,000(RM103,104) fine by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) following a series of serious disciplinary infractions during their AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Round of 16 clash against Buriram United on 11 March 2025 at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
In an official statement, the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee found JDT guilty of multiple violations of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, which included incidents of spectator misconduct, poor match organisation, and bringing the game into disrepute.
The charges stem from several incidents during and after the match:
- Spectator Misconduct (Article 65.1): Supporters of the Malaysian side were found to have thrown at least twenty water bottles onto the pitch and surrounding areas, posing a safety risk to players, officials, and others present. Fine: USD10,000.
- Poor Organisation of Match (Article 64.1): An unauthorised individual breached the Controlled Access Area post-match, aggressively confronting and verbally abusing the match officials — a grave breach of stadium security protocols. Fine: USD13,000.
- Bringing the Game into Disrepute (Article 50.1): Furthermore, JDT players failed to observe the mandatory post-match fair-play handshake, a clear violation of the sport’s core values of respect and sportsmanship. Fine: USD1,000.
AFC Issues Stern Warning
In its ruling, the AFC warned JDT that repeat offences may trigger more severe sanctions, potentially including stadium bans or heavier financial penalties, as stipulated under the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.
The total fine of USD24,000 must be settled within 30 days from the date of the decision’s communication, in line with Article 11.3 of the Code.
Credit Photo : HongZheng LIm/SNE-Photo
