Spurs and Foxes foiled: Thai sports authority ‘kick-off’ apology for cancelled clash in Bangkok

The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) today apologised for the cancellation of a pre-season friendly between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. The game was abandoned after a heavy downpour in the capital caused flooding in the stadium, leading to the unfortunate cancellation of the match.

Originally slated to kick off at 5pm, the match was unable to follow its schedule due to the persistent downpour that had been ongoing since early yesterday afternoon. After a 45-minute wait, Tottenham officially announced the cancellation with a statement that read…

“Today’s friendly against Leicester City has been cancelled due to the waterlogged course and unfavourable weather conditions. The competition organisers followed the advice of relevant departments that the Rajamangala Stadium is not safe to play due to heavy rain in Bangkok.”

Many Thai fans flooded the comments section with their expressions of disappointment, and some even placed blame on the match organisers for the cancellation. Others were hot with shame and offered apologies to both teams for the inconvenience.

Some argued that the rain wasn’t as heavy as perceived, but rather, the stadium’s inability to drain the water effectively led to the unplayable conditions. They urged the organizers to consider alternative venues such as Thunder Dome Stadium or BG Stadium, which they believed would have coped better with the weather.

The official Facebook page of Leicester City also announced the issue of the unplayable condition and the cancellation to its fans, and the comment session was also full of complaints against the organiser.

Even though the players missed the chance to showcase their skills on the field, they expressed their appreciation to the dedicated fans who braved the bad weather to cheer them on.

The SAT later issued an official apology to the fans attending the game, explaining that they had diligently prepared the facility and the field in accordance with standard procedures. However, the unexpected and relentless rainfalls were beyond their control.

Tottenham players had a scheduled flight booked to Singapore at 10pm yesterday. They will play a friendly against Lion City Sailors on Wednesday, July 26, while Leicester will play against Liverpool in Singapore on Saturday, July 30.

Despite the cancellation, the Tottenham players still enjoyed their time in Bangkok. The players, including Heung-Min Son, Joe Rodon, Pape Sarr and Ivan Perisic, paid a visit to see some children in collaboration with the Second Chance Bangkok.

During their visit, the players participated in an upcycling workshop where they transformed old shirts from last season into new school bags for the children.

The Second Chance Bangkok is a social enterprise organisation that supports the residents in the Khlong Toey neighbourhood, the largest slum in the capital, and also engages in environmental sustainability projects. With their charity shop and social responsibility projects, Second Chance Bangkok provides quality second-hand goods to the residents and also creates employment opportunities.

Watch as Sonny, Rodon, Sarr and Perisic join local children from Second Chance Bangkok, a charity who focus on environmental sustainability, for an upcycling workshop to turn last year’s shirts into new school bags! 🎒 pic.twitter.com/DrThxdWOof

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 22, 2023