Singapore international Shakir Hamzah was arrested at the Changi International airport on Friday after the Tampines Rovers defender failed to attend court over a family case.
Shakir, who had reached the airport along with his S.League club teammates who were on their way to Malaysian state Terengganu for their two pre-season friendlies (14 and 16 January), was not allowed to board the flight. An warrant of arrest was issued against the 24-year-old after he failed to attend court, police spokesperson confirmed to The New Paper.
However, Tampines chairman Krishna Ramachandra maintained that the Stags will remain supportive of their defender until they get to know more about the case. He also revealed that the club will not hold back from taking action if Shakir's behaviour goes against the club's philosophy.
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Notably, in 2013, Shakir, who was working with the Police Force, had served four days in detention for leaving duty without taking official leave.
"We do not know what the real issue is, and we must get all the facts of the situation before we take any steps. It is of course not ideal, and it's not the first time that a player has off-the-pitch issues. We want to be supportive, and we have," Ramachandra said, as quoted by the news daily.
"At the same time, the individual needs to step up and commit to solving his problems. If [Shakir's indiscretions] go against the philosophy of the club, then we will be forced to take action."
The Lions defender, who was part of Singapore's horrid 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup campaign, forms an integral part of the Tampines setup, which has gone through a massive change after the departure of the likes of Jermaine Pennant, Jordan Webb and Billy Mehmet.
The Stags have brought in the likes of former U17 Croatia skipper Ivan Dzoni and Ryutaro Megumi from Japan and South Korean playmaker Son Yong Chan. Singapore stars Khairul Amri and Madhu Mohana will also part of Tampines unit, which begins its 2017 campaign with AFC Champions League qualifier clash against Philippines side Global FC on 24 January.
