Dollah Kassim

Who was Dollah Kassim?

Dollah Kassim was one of the most famous Singaporean footballers during the 1970s. In 1977, he helped Singapore bring the Malaysia Cup to the country. He was dubbed the "Gelek King", a nickname referring to his superior ball control and extraordinary dribbling skills which made him look as if he was dancing past opposing defenders.

On 4 October 2009, Dollah collapsed during a friendly match between ex-international players from Singapore and Malaysia in the Sultan of Selangor Cup due to a seizure and a cardiac event. He was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital in a critical condition.

On 21 January 2010, the S.League raised $82,000 for Dollah Kassim at a Charity Shield match between Singapore Armed Forces FC and Swedish champions AIK Solna at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium. The proceeds from the match, donations from the 2,352 spectators, a pledge of $10,000 from S.League co-title sponsors Great Eastern Life and various contributions from other corporations and club chairmen were donated to Dollah's family to help them pay for his medical bills.

On 14 October 2010, Dollah Kassim died after being in a coma for a year.