SOP for 2022 M-League the same - Ahmad Faizal

He said there was no proposal to offer any flexibility to the SOP following the spike in COVID-19 cases of late.

"The SOP for the M-League is still valid and I hope the public will always adhere to the rules stipulated by the National Security Council (MKN) on the advice of the Ministry of Health. It is for the safety of all parties and self-SOP is more important to ensuring zero COVID-19 infections.

"However, I wish to advise the public and those involved (in the M-League) to get their booster shots," he said when met by Bernama and RTM after the closing ceremony of the Student Talent Identification Programme 2022 at the Sultan Azlan Shah Campus of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris here today.

Yesterday, Malaysian Football League (MFL) chief executive officer Stuart Ramalingam was reported to have said that a request to allow supporters to bring in food and drinks was one of three considerations mulled by the local league's managing body that was rejected by the government for the new M-League season.

Stuart said the other two considerations that were also rejected were the issue of player quarantine if there is a positive case in the team as well as increasing the number of spectators at tournament venues.

The Super League is set to kick off on March 4 and the Premier League on March 5.

Earlier, over 300 students who attended the two-phased talent identification programme, held on Jan 26-27 and Feb 16-17, would be assessed before being offered places in Form One at the Perak State Sports School this year.

Ahmad Faizal said a selection meeting would be held to choose the students for the various sports, among them football, sepak takraw, netball and hockey, with the selection trials focusing not just on their skills and fitness but also on their academic capabilities.