The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has issued an official clarification regarding the recent disciplinary action against national footballer Mohamed Thilham, who was fined USD 2,000 by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for displaying a pro-Palestine message following a match in June.

In a statement issued today (07 Aug), FFSL confirmed that the fine was imposed by the AFC’s Independent Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, not by FIFA as some social media posts had inaccurately claimed.

The incident occurred on 10 June at the Racecourse Stadium in Colombo, after Sri Lanka’s 3–1 win over Chinese Taipei in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying tournament. Thilham, who was an unused substitute, revealed an undershirt with the message “PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE” during post-match celebrations inside the Controlled Access Area.

According to FFSL, this act violated Section 3.2.2 of the AFC’s Equipment Regulations, which prohibits political, religious, personal or controversial messages on any clothing within officially governed zones.

The federation emphasized that the sanction was not related to the content of the message, but rather the breach of specific tournament regulations.

The FFSL noted that the AFC considered mitigating factors after receiving a formal explanation from Thilham, resulting in a significantly reduced fine. The player has been given one month to settle the penalty.

Rejecting claims that the action was politically driven, the FFSL reiterated its commitment to maintaining discipline, neutrality, and the integrity of the game. It also warned against “misrepresentations” that could distort public understanding of the incident. (Newswire)

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The Asian Football Confederation has imposed a fine of USD 2,000 on Sri Lankan footballer Mohamed Thilham for displaying a message in support of Palestine during an international match in Colombo.

Mohamed Thilham had displayed the message following the match held on 10 June between Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei under the AFC Asian Cup qualifying tournament.

Although Thilham’s action violated international football regulations and was deemed inappropriate, the AFC considered several mitigating factors after receiving an explanation regarding the incident. 

According to Sri Lanka Football President Jaswar Umar, this led to the reduction of what could have been a more severe penalty to USD 2,000. 

Thilham has been given a one-month period to settle the fine, with at least two weeks remaining as of the latest reports.

The incident occurred during the post-match celebration at Colombo’s Racecourse Stadium, where Sri Lanka secured a 3–1 victory. 

During a group photo, 19-year-old Thilham, who was an unused substitute, lifted his official jersey to reveal an undershirt bearing the message “PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE.” (Newswire)

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