FIFA REJECTS FAM'S APPEAL OVER NATURALISED PLAYETS, BUT SHOULD MALAYSIA CONTINUE FIGHT WITH ARBITRATION?

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will be appealing Fifa's decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Summary

• FAM will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA upheld fines for using allegedly fake documents for naturalised players.

• FAM faces a 350,000 Swiss franc fine, while seven players face individual fines and suspensions.

• Opposition leaders demand accountability from ministers, while concerns rise over the use of public funds for legal fees amid fan criticism.

KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will be taking its case to an arbiter after losing on Nov 3 its appeal over penalties imposed following the scandal embroiling naturalised players in the national team, saying it was “very surprised by (Fifa’s) decision”.

Global governing body Fifa has upheld a 350,000 Swiss franc (S$564,900) fine against FAM, while the seven players in question were fined 2,000 Swiss franc each and suspended from all football-related activities for 12 months.

FAM’s decision to appeal the decision was, however, derided by some fans of the national team, who criticised the move as a waste of resources when allocations are already tight.

“After analysing the submissions and conducting a hearing, the Appeal Committee decided to dismiss the appeals, and to confirm in its entirety the following sanctions imposed upon FAM and the seven players,” the Fifa Appeal Committee said in a statement.

“FAM and the players have been notified of the terms of the decision,” it added.

It said FAM and players have 10 days to request a detailed ruling from Fifa, and 21 days to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) – a step FAM said it intends to take.

“FAM will write to Fifa to obtain full details and written reasons for the decision before taking the next step of appealing to the CAS,” its acting president Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said in a statement on Nov 3.

“This is the first time FAM has faced such a situation. Our lawyers and management are very surprised by the decision.”

On Sept 26, seven naturalised players from Harimau Malaya – as the national team is nicknamed – were suspended by Fifa over the use of allegedly fake documents that showed their ties to Malaysia.

The seven are: Spain-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui; Netherlands-born Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano; Argentina-born Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca; and Brazil-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.

On Oct 7, Fifa released its grounds for the decision, showing that the grandparents of the players had been born in Spain, Argentina, Brazil and the Netherlands, and not in Malaysia.

A player must at least have a grandparent born in the country, if they wish to play for the national team.

Fifa’s decision on the appeal came less than a week after Argentine news publication Capital de Noticias published on Oct 31 a copy of the birth certificate of Garces’ grandfather, Carlos Rogelio Fernandez.

According to its report, both Fernandez and his father were Argentine citizens born in Santa Fe in the country, despite FAM previously telling Fifa that Fernandez was born in Penang.

Mr Garces had on Sept 26 brushed off concerns over his ancestry, attributing the affair to a clerical error.

“I’m a Malaysian from my grandparents’ roots and I’m honoured to play for my country,” Garces wrote in an Instagram post that has since been deleted.

Amid mounting scrutiny, FAM appointed former chief justice Md Raus Sharif to lead an independent investigation into the case and recommend further action.

Tun Raus, who helmed Malaysia’s judiciary from 2017 to 2018, said on Nov 3 that the investigation and report would be completed within six weeks.

“The committee will carry out their duties independently and with full commitment to ensure transparency and fairness in their findings,” Mr Raus told The Star after the committee’s first meeting.

But Opposition leaders have been unsparing in their criticism, calling instead for Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution and Sports and Youth Minister Hannah Yeoh to either be suspended or step down.

“This is an epic scandal that not only disappointed supporters but also embarrassed the country,” Opposition MP Syahir Sulaiman posted on X on Nov 4.

While FAM can take the next step with CAS, not everybody is convinced it should go through with the move.

“FAM has a whole lot of explaining to do. So who is the agent(s) who recommended the footballers? Will the footballers now initiate legal action against FAM?,” asked veteran sports journalist Haresh Deol in a Nov 4 LinkedIn post.

“And more importantly, will FAM use the RM15 million (plus RM15 million from the private sector) allocated in Budget 2025 to pay the fines and legal fees to take this matter up to CAS?”

On FAM’s Facebook page, some commenters were supportive of the federation taking it up with the CAS. Top commenter Mohd Azhar Nordin said FAM should go ahead if it feels this is its “last lifeline” to correct its course.

Meanwhile, comments on Harimau Malaya, a Facebook fan page of the national football team that carries the same name, were more critical. User Afendy Pay said that going to the CAS would also open the room for Vietnam and Nepal to dispute Malaysia’s Asian Cup wins against the two countries.

“At CAS, there’s a high chance FAM will lose. At AFC (Asian Cup), there’s a high chance Vietnam and Nepal will win. So, let time determine FAM’s fate.”

- Hadi Azmi

MALAYSIAN FOOTBALL'S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

After two and a half years in charge, Kim Pan-Gon's time in charge of Malaysia came to an abrupt end on Tuesday when he resigned due to "personal reasons". Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

 With nary a hint of suspicion, the Malaysia national football team was rocked on Tuesday when it was announced that Kim Pan-Gon would be stepping down as coach.

In a hastily-arranged news conference, Kim cited personal reasons as the motivating factor behind calling time on his two-and-a-half year spell in charge of Harimau Malaya.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) gave reassurances that they had made concerted efforts to convince Kim to stay on for the remainder of his contract -- which was to run till the end of 2025 -- but to no avail.

"We are certainly sad and disappointed because he (Kim) has contributed massively in taking Harimau Malaya to the (AFC) Asian Cup and (helped improve our) world ranking during his tenure as head coach," said FAM deputy president Yusoff Mahadi.

"It's a huge loss based on what he has done for us."

On his part, Kim expressed gratitude for the affection he had been shown, stating: "Since I arrived in February 2022, Malaysians have truly gifted me an extraordinary and wonderful journey in my life for the past two and a half years.

"In June 2022, we shared the joy of Malaysia qualifying for the Asian Cup on merit after a period of 43 years and, since then, we have risen to 130th in the FIFA (world) rankings. In our last (game) of the Asian Cup last January in Qatar, we managed to draw 3-3 with South Korea -- the 22nd-ranked team in the world -- showing that Malaysians should have pride in their football.

"Unfortunately, we did not qualify for the final stage of (Asian) qualifiers for the 2026 (FIFA) World Cup. But, with three wins, one draw, two losses and ten points, we have provided a foundation and momentum to sow hope for a bright future for Malaysian football."

When all is said and done, Kim can certainly look back on his achievements in Malaysia with a sense of satisfaction, especially considering he was far from a high-profile appointment when he was handed the reins.

Having had a decent playing career, where he debuted with Ulsan HD and then briefly featured for fellow K League 1 powerhouses Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors but was never capped by South Korea at any level, Kim's managerial experience prior to Harimau Malaya was almost entirely in Hong Kong, who -- like Malaysia -- are not exactly one of Asian football's bigger nations.

He did well enough to earn backroom roles with the Korea Football Association before the FAM came calling and, as he rightfully listed in his farewell message, did indeed accomplish plenty.

- Gabriel Tan 

MALAYSIA FOOTBALL ON GUARD AFTER SPATE OF PLAYER ATTACKS

Malaysia international Faisal Abdul Halim was attacked at a mall on Sunday when he was splashed with acid, causing fourth-degree burns which have affected his speech and movement. How Foo Yeen/Getty Images

 The Football Association of Malaysia has recommended players consider hiring bodyguards while Johor Darul Ta'zim has beefed up security for its squad after their midfielder Safiq Rahim became the third player to be attacked over the last week.

Safiq, a former Malaysia captain, had his car windscreen smashed by unknown assailants late on Tuesday.

Selangor winger Faisal Abdul Halim was left in critical condition after being splashed with acid at a shopping mall on Sunday, while national team player Akhyar Rashid was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu last week, media reported.

Terengganu police have said both attacks were unrelated, but the incidents have sparked concern in Malaysia where violence against athletes is rare.

Safiq, who was unharmed in the incident, said in a copy of a police report shared on Instagram that two men on a motorcycle approached his car with a hammer and smashed his rear windscreen.

"Did not expect that I would be attacked next near the JDT training centre. We need to be vigilant," the 36-year-old said in an accompanying caption.

JDT, who are run by the crown prince of the Johor royal family, called on police to investigate the attack on Safiq and said it had advised players to be cautious of their surroundings and about what they post on social media.

"The incident, together with the recent attacks on Akhyar Rashid and Faisal Halim, have no place in football," JDT chief executive officer Alistair Edwards said in a statement on the team's Facebook page.

FAM president Hamidin Amin said players should take additional safety measures, such as hiring personal bodyguards.

"While not all players may have the financial means to hire bodyguards, it's a sensible idea, especially for star players who may attract unwanted attention," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times daily on Tuesday.

- Reuters