Ahead of the 2017 season, S.League clubs are being investigated for the possible non-payment of Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions.
CPF is a compulsory comprehensive savings plan to fund retirement that all Singapore employers must pay to their workers.
According to the Straits Times, at least one S.League club has failed to pay all of their CPF contributions for the last five years. It is believed that the non-payments are related to the club's Prime League, or reserve team.
"The CPF Board takes a serious view of employers who do not fulfil their CPF obligations to their employees," a CPF Board spokesman said.
"Investigations are ongoing, and the CPF Board will not hesitate to take action against any football club that failed to make the requisite CPF contributions for their players."
Players in the Prime League are given a maximum of S$300 in training allowances to cover transport and meal expenses. One club revealed that they were unaware that they needed to declare this to the CPF Board, but have since corrected their procedure.
The S.League said that clubs had been notified of the rules, and were ensuring that they will all be compliant from the 2017 season onwards.
"The S-League understands that the clubs had, in the past, been under the perception that the allowance paid to the Prime League players did not necessitate CPF contribution," an S.League spokesman said.
"The respective clubs concerned are in the process of resolving the matter with the CPF Board. We are confident that the clubs will be able to quickly and fairly resolve this matter. The S-League shall provide the relevant assistance to the clubs where possible."
The S.League is facing a challenging year, with sluggish sponsorship of local clubs, and the news that CEO Lim Chin will be stepping down at the end of March. The new season begins next month.