Malaysia's national sepak takraw team regards the referee's decision as correct, saying Thailand should have continued competing in the 2026 World Sepak Takraw Championship.
On 25 May 2026, Malaysia made history by winning the men's team event at the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Championship after Thailand chose not to continue competing in the final, which was marked by controversy over the officiating.
The incident occurred when the teams were tied at one set each. In the third set, with Thailand leading 14-13, Singaporean referee Muhammad Radi awarded a point to Malaysia, ruling that a Thai player had stepped on the line during a strike, resulting in a 14-14 tie.
Thailand then protested, refusing to continue playing unless the decision was reversed. Ultimately, the referee and event organizers did not change the call, causing Thailand to forfeit by walkout and allowing Malaysia to claim the championship.
Datuk Abu Jimi Samat, Malaysia's national team manager, stated that the decision came after the referee found a Thai player had clearly stepped over the boundary line at a crucial point. The ruling was confirmed correct after video review. However, he acknowledged that the Thai side was unhappy and refused to proceed with the match.
Although victorious, Ahmad Jais Baharun, head coach of Malaysia's sepak takraw team, admitted feeling uneasy about how the win was achieved. He felt both teams should have handled the matter professionally by continuing to compete to determine the true winner on the court.
He further criticized the Thai team, saying, “They were neither mature nor professional in refusing to continue playing during the third set of the final.”
This victory marks a historic moment for Malaysian sepak takraw but leaves lingering questions in the sports community about unity and acceptance of referee decisions on the world stage.