According to his former teammate Mirnawan Nawawi, Sivabalan collapsed while playing a hockey match commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Royal Ipoh Club at the grounds of the Perak Sikh Union Club around 4pm.

He told FMT he was devastated to hear the news.

He said Sivabalan’s death was a great loss to hockey, especially since he had been deeply involved in the development of the sport at the state level.

“I played alongside him in the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing. He was also my Kilat Club teammate who won the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) treble back in 1991/1992.

“It was the first treble won by any club in MHL history,” he said.

Mirnawan described his ex-teammate as a “no-nonsense, dedicated and hardworking” player.

“He played left-back and was famous for his mini flicks. A big loss indeed. My heartfelt condolences to his family,” he said.

Former Malaysian hockey international Maninderjit Singh was shocked to hear about the passing of his good friend.

He told FMT that Sivabalan was a household name in the 1980s and early 1990s.

“He was a great friend and a role model within the hockey fraternity. He was a dedicated player whose achievement will motivate the next generation of athletes,” he said.

After Sivabalan retired from playing professionally, he coached and played hockey for social clubs.

“Hockey was in his blood and even though he is gone, he left doing what he loved most,” Maninderjit said.

“This is not goodbye. Wherever you are, you will be missed.”