DSEDJ urges parents, schools to uphold sportsmanship values

The Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) has called on all participants in inter-school competitions to “adhere to the sportsmanship values of fostering respect for rules, fair play, and mutual respect among students.”

The bureau’s statement came in response to an inquiry from the Times and concerns events that occurred during the final of the inter-school football championship held earlier this month at the Taipa Olympic Sports Centre.

According to on-site reports and video footage reviewed by the Times, a group of parents and other attendees at the match were seen displaying unsportsmanlike behavior, hurling insults at opposing players and match referees, including the use of racial or ethnic slurs that fall under the scope of the international football governing body FIFA’s efforts to eradicate such conduct.

Following allegedly contentious refereeing decisions, some supporters of the Macau Anglican College team reportedly expressed strong disagreement.

According to reports, after the match – in which the Macau Portuguese School team emerged victorious – some supporters attempted to detain the referee in his locker room, continuing their protest after the match had already ended.

The match was between teams in Category C, featuring players around 12 years old.

In its response to the Times, DSEDJ said: “According to our understanding from the event organizer, the Macau Football Association (MFA), as well as support staff and coaches of the participating teams, the referee indicated that after the match on that day, several parents and students expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions. No other feedback regarding the players was received.”

The education authority added: “Additionally, during the match, some parents expressed dissatisfaction with two controversial refereeing decisions. The organizers’ on-site staff and the coaches subsequently explained to the parents that no obvious misjudgments or unfair enforcement had been found.”

DSEDJ said it has urged the organizer, the MFA, to pay attention to similar situations in future events to ensure friendly exchanges among schools and promote the healthy physical and mental development of students through inter-school competitions.

The bureau added that it “will continue to work with schools to promote sports literacy education and jointly advance the healthy and sustainable development of inter-school sports competitions.”

Although rare in Macau, such incidents at sporting events are not unprecedented. Similar cases have previously occurred in adult football disputes between players. As far as the Times is aware, this is the first time such incidents have involved parents at inter-school competitions.