Today, we come together to honor the memory of a true warrior—a soul who, from the very beginning, faced and overcame challenges that most of us can barely imagine. With an unyielding fire burning within him, he chased his dreams with relentless determination, becoming a beacon of hope and inspiration for so many. He fought every battle with fierce resolve, never allowing his spirit to waver, even when his body could no longer endure the fight.
Sy’s heart was captured by martial arts. He didn’t just practice it; he lived it, embracing the ancient values of respect and honor. He saved every hard-earned penny to journey to Thailand, immersing himself in the traditions of this time-honoured martial art, muaythai. He wasn’t content with just being a fighter; he aspired to embody the true spirit of a warrior, living by principles passed down through generations for thousands of years.
Sy was a man full of life and joy. His smile, so bright and handsome, was contagious. He had an insatiable hunger for life, for knowledge, and for every new experience that came his way. But then, on one fateful day, everything changed.
He was asked to compete in a muaythai match against an opponent with thirty times more experience. Sy stepped into that ring as a warrior, unaware of the betrayal that awaited him. He fought with all his heart, but the blows he received that day were too much to bear. After the bout, with the belt strapped around his opponent’s waist as Sy collapsed by the side of the ring, his dreams and his future shattered.
He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered a severe brain hemorrhage. The damage was catastrophic, leaving him paraplegic. Despite numerous operations, Sy found himself confined to the back of a hospital ward, fighting for his life every single day.
The people responsible for this mismatch, those who should have protected him, made a small payment to the hospital, took a photo with the doctor and then moved on, continuing to hand out belts and promote new shows. But Sy was left to battle alone and all during a pandemic when family and friends mattered the most. Sy’s friends from Australia rallied together, trying to provide the support he so desperately needed but the medical bills kept piling up, and life-saving operations had to continue. There was no insurance, no money to fly him back home for the urgent treatment he required and the comfort of the arms of his loved ones.
This is the dark side of muaythai, the side that IFMA has always stood against and will continue to fight. We made this promise to Sy as the IFMA team visited him—washing him, changing his diapers, brushing his teeth, singing and dancing for him, watching movies, setting up calls with his loved ones in Australia. During the pandemic, these small acts of kindness were all he had to hold onto.
After 2.5 years in that lonely hospital ward, with the help of his closest friends, enough money was finally raised to bring Sy home to his family and friends. Although we were told there was little hope for improvement, we hoped that being surrounded by love would bring him some comfort in his battle to survive.
IFMA has vowed to bring to light the atrocities that led to Sy’s suffering. We have faced bullying and threats, but we will never stop fighting for the athletes of the world. We made this promise to Sy as we cared for him, and we will continue to stand by it.
On August 20th, after 4.5 years of unimaginable pain and suffering, Sy, once so full of energy and life, took his last breath. It was his time to find peace after all he had endured.
Simon Leafa (Sy), we honour you today. We send our deepest love to your family, to your friends in Australia, and to our own team, who became family to you during these last three years. Birthdays, Christmases, and New Year’s by your side, ensuring you never felt alone. We thank the hospital staff who cared for you and hope with all our hearts that you are now free and wearing your beautiful smile.
But most of all, Sy, we promise that you will never be forgotten. You will be remembered as the true warrior and the incredible human being that you are. We will continue to seek justice for the suffering you endured, and we will fight to ensure that no one else will ever have to go through what you did.
Rest in peace, our dear warrior, inspiration and friend.
