The Football Association of Malaysia reinstates its General Secretary despite the falsified documents scandal.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) unilaterally decided to reinstate Datuk Noor Azman Rahman without consulting FIFA, amidst an ongoing investigation into seven players who illegally naturalized themselves.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has caused a surprise by deciding to reinstate Secretary General Datuk Noor Azman Rahman without consulting FIFA. This move comes at the heart of an investigation into the falsification of documents for seven naturalized players, a scandal rocking the country's football scene.
FAM's controversial internal decision
FAM's interim president, Datuk Yusoff Mahadi, asserted that the organization is not obligated to consult with the world football governing body in Azman's case. According to Yusoff, this is part of an internal process being implemented at Petaling Jaya.
Mr. Yusoff stated that the internal investigation had exonerated the Secretary-General, concluding that the previous misconduct stemmed from negligence rather than deliberate intent. "We have completed the process, referred the case to the Internal Investigation Committee, and the disciplinary committee has made the final decision," he emphasized.
The falsification scandal and FIFA's reaction.
In contrast to FAM's position, FIFA's Appeals Committee upheld the sanctions against the federation and the seven players involved. Investigations revealed that the birth certificates submitted to prove eligibility to play had been cleverly forged.
Specifically, these documents deliberately stated that the players' grandparents were born in Malaysia, when in reality they came from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain. FIFA described this as a serious violation of integrity rules and criticized the lack of oversight and verification by the FAM leadership.
Pressure from legal investigations
In addition to sporting sanctions, the Malaysian authorities have also taken decisive action. To date, more than 40 police reports have been filed. Investigators have taken statements from at least seven high-ranking FAM officials, including interim President Yusoff Mahadi.
Despite some arguing that the responsibility should lie with the national team's management structure, Yusoff frankly admitted that the wrongdoing lay with the highest governing body. "FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) only focus on FAM. The ultimate responsibility rests with FAM," he asserted.
Currently, Malaysian police are expanding their investigation to include the national team's management to clarify the role of each individual in this illegal naturalization scandal. The incident not only affects the reputation of FAM but also places Malaysian football under close international scrutiny in the coming period.
