7 days ago
Balestier Khalsa footballer under police investigation after alleged nightclub incident
SINGAPORE – A foreign player from Balestier Khalsa is assisting the police with investigations after an incident at a nightclub, the Singapore Premier League side confirmed on May 28.
The Straits Times understands that the footballer was accused of molestation during a night out with his teammates at Zouk in mid-May. He was taken to the police station and later released on bail.
He would go on to play in the club's final SPL game of the season, a 3-2 win over Albirex Niigata at the Bishan Stadium on May 25.
A spokesman from Balestier Khalsa confirmed that one of their players is under police investigation but declined further comment.
The Tigers finished fourth out of nine teams in the recently concluded season, and achieved back-to-back fourth-place finishes for the first time since the late 1990s.
However, they are headed for a transition with the departures of vice-chairman Darwin Jalil and coach Peter de Roo.
ST understands that former Balestier player and coach Marko Kraljevic – who is Hougang United's head of youth development – is set to take over as their head coach.
The 59-year-old German-Croat played for the club when they finished third in 1996 and fourth in 1997 and 1998, and had two spells as their head coach from 2014 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2021.
He helped the Tigers win the Singapore Cup in 2014, when he was named the Coach of the Year.
David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.
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