FAS general secretary Yazeen Buhari resigns from top post

SINGAPORE: The Football Association of Singapore's (FAS) general secretary Yazeen Buhari will step down from his post at the end of September after six years in the top post.

The search for his successor has also begun, said FAS in a statement on Friday (Jul 5) announcing his resignation.

“It has been a privilege to helm this organisation, given the magnitude and importance that this role holds. But after being away from the family for seven years, I have made the difficult decision to leave the organisation," said Yazeen.

"I believe it’s also the right time for the administration to undergo a leadership change."

Yazeen, 46, rose through ranks at FAS over two stints. 

Previously an assistant director at Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the general manager of Singapore Athletics, he assumed the role of head of development and planning at FAS, before leaving in late 2016 to join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

But after less than a year at AFC, where he led its planning and strategy department, he returned to Singapore football as FAS deputy general secretary.

It marked the first major hire by the then new FAS council, whose office bearers were elected in April 2017.

At the start of 2018, he began assuming the duties of acting general secretary, before being confirmed in the role nine months later. 

In its statement, FAS credited Yazeen with playing a pivotal role in several significant developments in Singapore football. These include the Unleash the Roar! initiative launched in 2021 and the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in the Singapore Premier League in 2023.

Said Yazeen, a former referee: "There are many initiatives that have started to take shape in the past two years, and with the support