Commentary: A parent was hit with a chair at my son’s game. This isn’t what sport’s about, says former national swimmer Joscelin Yeo

SINGAPORE: A Singapore Youth League (SYL) football match made the news last week. Not for a spectacular goal or a breakout young talent. Instead, the headlines came after one parent allegedly assaulted another after an Under-14 game between Geylang International and Albirex Singapore Football Academy on May 11. 

According to Albirex, the victim was struck with a metal chair. Photos circulated online show the victim with a streak of blood down his left cheek. The incident had reportedly escalated from verbal taunting to physical aggression, all within view of the children.

Let that sink in. Grown adults, attending a youth football match to support their children, ended up engaging in behaviour more suited to a wrestling ring than a community sports field.

For full disclosure, my son was one of the players in the game. He was subbed off after the first 60 minutes and did not witness the incident.

I too did not witness the altercation, but I’ve seen enough over the years to know that this is not an isolated incident.

We see it in professional leagues - players talking smack, fans hurling insults. But now, it’s bleeding into the sidelines of youth matches.

I get it. Believe me, I’ve been there. I’ve clenched my fists when a bad call went against my child’s team. I’ve muttered frustrations at the referee under my breath. I’ve cheered loudly, maybe too loudly, when we scored. But what happened at the Geylang vs Albirex match was something else. It crossed a line. And it made me reflect - deeply - on the example we’re setting.

Sport inspires emotion. We justify it by calling it “competitive spirit” or “part of the game”. But when insults are hurled at a child, or a parent is mocked from the sidelines, that’s not passion, that’s