Singh Sabha Sports Club (SSSC) defender Satpal Singh will be hoping for a career-saving reprieve from the Hong Kong Hockey Association, which meets next week to take up an appeal made by his club to reduce the unprecedented 10-year ban handed down on him earlier this month for foul play.
'We have appealed to the association that the ban is too much and we hope they will agree with us,' said SSSC convenor Avtar Singh yesterday. 'We hope he will play for Hong Kong again.'
Satpal Singh was handed the ban by the HKHA's disciplinary committee for hitting Football club's Douglas Corbel on the back of his head with his stick during a league game in March. Corbel was taken to hospital where he needed stitches to stop the flow of blood.
'The club have appealed on the grounds that the ban is excessive. We will look at it during our council meeting next week,' said Billy Dillon, HKHA vice-president.
According to Dillon, the council has a number of options before them. They can revoke the ban, increase it, or take the middle ground and reduce it - which would allow the 24-year-old player to keep hopes of playing for Hong Kong once again.
'We will look at the grounds for appeal and also look at the findings of the committee. This is a special case as we are looking at an unprecedented ban. The previous highest ban has been five years,' Dillon said.