Could Indra Sahdan win the same award twice?

Could Indra Sahdan win the same award twice?

SINGAPORE - In 2011, Indra Sahdan Daud was given an award for scoring more than 200 S-League and Singapore Cup goals.

Next year, he could once again receive a 200-goal award from the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).

Confused? So is the 34-year-old Home United forward.

The matter first came to light when The New Paper asked the FAS why Balestier Khalsa striker Qiu Li had not been recognised this year for scoring more than 100 S-League and Singapore Cup goals.

Their response? That the FAS had changed its criterion since 2011 to only look at goals scored in the league and not the cup competitions.

"The intent was for the rules to be consistent for both the Top Scorer of the Year Award and the award for players who score more than 100 goals," replied the FAS, in a statement.

However, the FAS did not answer TNP's question about whether the new ruling was announced to the clubs, players, fans and the media.

Before the change, goals scored in the S-League and Singapore Cup counted towards the 100-goal awards, which have been achieved by 10 footballers.

Four players have crossed the 200- goal mark based on the old criterion and veteran striker Aleksandar Duric is currently on 370 league and Singapore Cup goals.

After the amendment, the FAS informed TNP that Indra is now on 182 league goals, despite being given an award for crossing the 200 mark in 2011.

The FAS also failed to answer if Indra would be given a second award if he bags another 18 league goals.

When told of this change, former national captain Indra laughed.

He said: "Will they take back my old award? But it would be funny if I get another one. To be honest I am also not sure about the criterion.

"It would be good if they made it clear and they should inform everyone involved if there's any changes."

Under the new criterion Qiu Li stands on 99 league goals instead of the 106 he would have tallied under the old rules.

Duric had his own issues with the goalscoring awards in 2010 when he did not receive any official recognition despite being the first S-League footballer to score 300 goals, which included those he scored in the Singapore Cup.

After TNP broke the story, quoting Duric, the FAS responded with an assurance that the veteran striker would be honoured at the end-of-year awards ceremony.

Duric said: "What happened to me before is not nice and I don't know what to say about this incident because I have not heard of the change.

"I hope it takes nothing away from the achievements of those who have already picked up their awards because it is not an easy feat.

"For a professional league, something must be done about all these records and statistics.

"It is important to be consistent and people should know if there are changes."


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