Nguyen Xuan Thuy, chairman of the Cement Xuan Thanh Saigon football club, has been suspended for five years from football activities in Vietnam after he abandoned the ongoing V-League 2013 last week to protest a disciplinary decision.

According to a decision by the Vietnam Football Federation issued yesterday, the boss is also fined VND10 million (US$480), and his club is fined VND100 million.

Thuy withdrew his team from competition with two rounds remaining in the top-tier league. He claimed that this was his response to a penalty enforced by the VFF’s disciplinary unit to deduct four points from his team for staging a low-spirited performance in the 1-3 loss to the host Kien Giang on August 10.

Nguyen Hai Huong, head of the disciplinary unit, said that he found no reason to punish coach Tran Tien Dai of the team.

“The coach has no role in the withdrawal,” Huong added.

The team boss is subject to pay the fine within ten days of receiving the decision.

In addition, the VFF added a fine of VND5 million for a different dispute. Team striker Huynh Kesley had lodged a complaint to the VFF to sue the club for its failure to pay salary on time. The club owes the player US$29,000 and VND76.9 million ($3,700).

The club may be banned from transferring players in case it refuses to adhere to the penalties properly, according to the VFF.