Coach Pau accused Law of lacking physical fitness after the match and pleaded with the HKFA not to assign female referees to future games. Remember, there is only one female referee.

Defender Lam, who was sent off by Law in injury-time, was reported to have verbally abused her in the game.

They will now miss 10 games after being found guilty by the independent disciplinary committee. Pau also has to pay a HK$3,000 fine.

Hong Kong football sexism row: Happy Valley coach and player banned for minimum 10 games for discriminatory and offensive behaviour

The committee has sent a clear message that sexual discrimination will not be tolerated.

But could, and should they, have done more?

On the face of it, a 10-game ban seems like a strong punishment, especially so in a league where games are at a premium.

But not everything is as it seems. The ban is the minimum that Fifa’s guidelines allow. No one should be happy with the minimum.

This feels like a missed opportunity and one where people will feel rightly aggrieved.

While the Hong Kong Football Association has decided to respect the decision of the committee, it could have imposed more sanctions on top of what was recommended.

It was the HKFA board of directors that decided that they could not deal with the issue at a meeting at the start of the month and they passed the responsibility onto the committee.

They have passed down their ruling and the HKFA has agreed to it, but is this punishment enough to draw a line under the incident?

Happy Valley head coach pleads with Hong Kong Football Association ‘not to give us women referees’ after accusing Gigi Law of being unfit

Should they not have gone further and added another game or two to show their own views on sexual discrimination in the game?

More importantly, does it send a strong enough message about what will be tolerated?

The fact is that 10 games is more than an inconvenience and it effectively ends the season for both player and coach.

There are seven league games left for Happy Valley, including the final three when the division splits into two mini-groups. Thankfully, Happy Valley have said they will not appeal the decision against Lam. They have not said the same regarding Pau. An appeal would be a PR disaster and it is best for everyone if they take it on the chin.

If this punishment sends a message then it must be stronger next time, and sadly football history suggests there will be a next time.

Hong Kong FA receives official complaint over football manager’s sexist post-match comments about woman referee

The HKFA’s current charter points to a problem that needs to be fixed.

Pau was found guilty of violating article 15.2.1 under discrimination. That states, “anyone who offends the dignity of a person or group of persons through contemptuous, discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, colour, language, religion or origin shall be suspended for at least 10 matches. Furthermore, a stadium ban and fine shall be imposed”.

Sexual discrimination is not mentioned explicitly, nor does it feature anywhere else in the charter. That needs to change at the earliest opportunity.

By contrast, the disciplinary committee ruled that Lam violated the 2020-21 season disciplinary code under chapter 4, article 15.1.

That states “anyone who insults someone in any way, especially by using offensive gestures or language, or who violates the principles of fair play or whose behaviour is unsporting in any other way, may be subject to sanctions in accordance with Fifa Disciplinary Code art. 13”.

At least that is clear and loophole free. Unlike Lam’s actual punishment.

Hong Kong football’s Gigi Law sexism controversy worth it if change comes

A loophole allowing players to pay HK$5,000 per game, up to a maximum of five games in a ban, means he will be eligible to play again this season if he coughs up HK$25,000. Lam had 72 hours to do so.

Where does that money go? In Lam’s case – were he to pay it – then it would be nice if it very publicly went towards supporting women in football.

As Law herself said in 2017, before she made her refereeing debut in senior men’s football, “it’s never going to be easy for me”.

The HKFA had an opportunity to show that they want to make it easier for her and the women that follow. This was an open goal to show sexism the red card and they missed it.