The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) faces a high-stakes decision as it considers continuing its protest against FIFA’s sanctions regarding naturalized players. This move, according to a warning from former FAM Secretary General, Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad, could plunge Malaysian football into a deeper crisis, potentially leading to FAM’s suspension by the world football governing body.
Former FAM Secretary General, Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad, answering journalists’ questions regarding the FAM-FIFA crisis at Merdeka Stadium, Malaysia, today (Photo: Bernama).
After FIFA rejected FAM’s appeal, the last remaining option is to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). However, Mr. Azzuddin Ahmad does not view this as the optimal solution.
“FIFA has rejected FAM’s appeal. Procedurally, there is only one last resort, which is CAS. Whether FAM decides to proceed or not is up to them, but in my opinion, it is not the best solution,” Mr. Azzuddin stated.
The former FAM Secretary General emphasized that pursuing the lawsuit could lead to severe consequences: “This implies that our organization could be suspended. If that happens, all football activities, including the M-League, will be halted immediately.”
He expressed deep concern: “That is something I do not want to see. Currently, we can still organize domestic tournaments, but if FAM is suspended, everything will collapse.”
Instead of continuing the dispute, Mr. Azzuddin Ahmad proposed a more humble approach: “The best approach is to humbly admit that mistakes were made. There’s no need to use the word ‘fraud.’ Just admit that there was negligence.”
He believes that the evidence and documents presented by FIFA in this case are clear and difficult to dispute.
“If the case continues, I fear it will raise even more questions, potentially implicating government agencies such as the National Registration Department and the Immigration Department. FIFA has presented compelling evidence, so there’s no need for further questioning. When we go against the trend, that’s when I worry it could lead to more serious consequences,” Mr. Azzuddin warned.
Previously, on the evening of November 3, FIFA’s Appeals Committee rejected FAM’s appeal, upholding the previous sanctions imposed by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. According to this decision, FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (approximately 11.6 billion VND).
The Malaysian national team during a match against the Vietnamese team in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. (Photo: Getty).
Additionally, seven players from the Malaysian national team were suspended for 12 months, each fined 2,000 Swiss francs (approximately 66 million VND). This group of players was accused of falsifying documents to be eligible to play for the Malaysian national team. The list of seven sanctioned players includes: Gabriel Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Héctor Hevel.
In the past two days, FAM Acting President, Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi, affirmed that FAM would appeal to CAS to overturn FIFA’s sanctions. However, this intention is facing strong opposition from the Malaysian public.
Many former players, lawyers, and journalists in Malaysia argue that FAM should humbly accept the sanctions and focus on rebuilding its image and restoring fan trust.
