Don't abandon injured players, says ex-M-League team doctor

New Straits Times

16-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Former team doctor for several Super League clubs, Dr Hazwan Khair, has called for greater accountability from Malaysian teams when it comes to managing injuries — particularly those sustained during national duty or while players are in contractual limbo.
Dr Hazwan said while injuries are part of the game, M-League teams cannot afford to ignore the legal and financial implications that come with them.
"Teams often forget that their responsibility doesn't end when a player gets injured — in fact, that's when it begins," he said.
"You have players who return from national duty injured, sometimes even without a valid contract in place yet. The question becomes: who takes care of them?"
A certified World Rugby medical trainer, Dr Hazwan said players negotiating transfers or awaiting contract renewals are especially vulnerable.
"I've seen players who were injured while technically still with a club. But once the contract expires or isn't renewed, the club washes their hands of any responsibility. That's unethical and devastating for the player," he said.
He stressed the need for clubs to implement a clear injury management framework, covering not only contracted players but also those caught between deals, especially when the injury occurred while representing the club or country.
Dr Hazwan added that many teams are unaware of the FIFA Club Protection Programme (CPP), which provides financial cover for players injured on senior international duty under specific conditions.
The CPP covers temporary total disablement (TTD) injuries that prevent players from training for more than 28 days.
It only applies during official FIFA international match windows, not friendlies or training camps outside those dates.
Under the scheme, compensation can go up to €20,548 (about RM105,000) per day, capped at €7.5 million (RM38.4 million), with a 28-day deductible.
"Unfortunately, the current Harimau Malaya camp and the friendly against Cape Verde fall outside the CPP coverage," he said.
"So if a player sustains a long-term injury during this period, there's no financial protection from FIFA and the club bears the brunt."
In the Super League, where resources are often tight, losing a key player to long-term injury can disrupt operations.
While CPP doesn't cover medical costs, Dr Hazwan said knowing salaries can be reimbursed helps prevent clubs from being financially crippled.
"But beyond that, teams need to take a hard look at how they manage injured players — not just medically, but contractually and ethically," he said.
"If a player gets hurt in your colours, whether or not the ink on his contract is dry, there's a duty of care."
With Malaysia striving to raise its footballing standards, Dr Hazwan believes it's time clubs and governing bodies professionalised injury management, putting player welfare at the forefront.
On Thursday, Timesport reported that Harimau Malaya's friendly against world No 72 Cape Verde at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras on May 29 falls outside the official FIFA window (June 2-10).
Harimau Malaya will face Cape Verde again in a closed-door match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on June 3, as part of preparations for their Asian Cup Group F qualifier against Vietnam on June 10.