Thom Haye's Family Receives Death Threats, Persib Takes Legal Action

The management of Persib Bandung expressed deep concern over death threats targeting the family of Persib midfielder Thom Haye following the Week 17 match against Persija Jakarta in the BRI Super League 2025/2026. The incident occurred after the game at Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium (GBLA) on Sunday, January 11, 2025.

The threats became public after Thom Haye disclosed them via his personal social media account. Persib management immediately addressed the situation, condemning the actions as exceeding Sportsmanship boundaries and being unacceptable in Football.

Persib Bandung manager Umuh Muchtar emphasized that football should remain a healthy competition space, not a platform for intimidation or violence against players' families.

"Threats like these are unjustifiable anywhere, especially those involving families and death threats. We deeply regret this. Football is Sport, such threats have no place," stated Umuh in Bandung on Monday, January 12, 2026.

Furthermore, Umuh confirmed Persib management would hand the case over to law enforcement, asserting that threats sent via private messages with identifiable details could be easily traced by Police.

"The perpetrator will face legal consequences. The phone number and digital trail make this easy to trace. We'll entrust this to authorities," he said.

Persib management also affirmed its commitment to providing full support to Thom Haye and his family to ensure their safety and peace of mind. Umuh stressed that players shouldn't feel pressured by such irresponsible acts.

"I've advised Thom Haye to remain calm. There's nothing to fear. The person making threats will face the law," he added.

Earlier, Thom Haye revealed his family received death threats after Persib Bandung's 1-0 victory over Persija Jakarta. The full-match player expressed concern over emotional escalation straying from football's essence.

"I can accept many things professionally, but I respectfully ask those sending death threats and horrifying messages to my family to stop. Football should never go this far," Haye wrote.

In his statement, the Persib midfielder called on all elements of national football to jointly maintain a safe, healthy, and dignified competition atmosphere.

"Let's build a better football environment together – for players, supporters, and the future of Indonesian Football," he urged.

This case serves as another reminder that on-field rivalry must never transform into off-field threats. Indonesian Football must continuously improve to create a safe competitive climate for all parties – players, officials, and supporters alike.