On October 17, just one day after the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) released evidence showing that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) falsified naturalization documents for a group of seven players—Gabriel Felipe, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel—FAM ordered the suspension of its Secretary-General (SG) Datuk Noor Azman Rahman.
Datuk Noor Azman Rahman had previously stated that the FAM’s submission of incorrect documents to FIFA, concerning the aforementioned group of seven naturalized players, was due to an administrative error.
Before Datuk Noor Azman Rahman’s suspension, a more prominent figure within FAM had already stepped down, also related to Malaysia’s use of dubious documents to naturalize the seven players whose eligibility FIFA suspended.
That individual was former FAM President Joehari Mohd Ayub. Mr. Joehari Mohd Ayub submitted his resignation on August 22, citing health reasons. Notably, August 22 was also the day FIFA initiated disciplinary proceedings, officially notifying the Football Association of Malaysia that it needed to explain the naturalization documents of the seven players involved.
By August 27, Mr. Joehari Mohd Ayub’s resignation was officially approved by the FAM Executive Committee (Exco).
Before submitting his resignation, Mr. Joehari Mohd Ayub faced immense pressure from Malaysian experts and fans, demanding that FAM publicly disclose the origin documents of the seven players: Gabriel Felipe, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel.
This pressure gradually spread internationally. During this period, an Indonesian journalist claimed to have information that FIFA was preparing to take action against Malaysian football regarding this issue.
When the Indonesian journalist made these statements, former FAM President Joehari Mohd Ayub declared he would sue the journalist under international law. However, this declaration by Mr. Joehari Mohd Ayub was never realized.
Mr. Joehari Mohd Ayub himself withdrew from FAM only about six months after taking on the leadership position in Malaysian football (assuming the FAM President role in June), and the Indonesian journalist’s information turned out to be 100% accurate.
Currently, it is the turn of Malaysia national team CEO Rob Friend (a Canadian) to face pressure to take responsibility for FIFA’s decision to uphold the penalties against FAM and the seven naturalized players mentioned above.
Malaysian football expert Jamal Nasir Ismail stated: “Once FAM’s appeal to FIFA fails, Malaysia national team CEO Rob Friend must also take responsibility and be dismissed.”
Therefore, the list of Malaysian football officials who must bear the consequences related to the dubious naturalization documents for foreign-born players may continue to grow.
