Malaysia Football Association Suspends Secretary General After FIFA Cheating Allegations

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) suspended its secretary general, Noor Azman Rahman, on Friday, October 17, following the football governing body FIFA's allegations that Malaysia "cheated" by fielding ineligible players in an AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier.

In September, FIFA suspended seven overseas-born players who represented Malaysia in an Asian Cup qualifying match against Vietnam in June, which Malaysia had won 4-0. FIFA also fined FAM $438,000, citing falsified or doctored documentation relating to the players' grandparents.

FIFA's report last month detailed the issue and stated that FAM submitted forged documents claiming the grandparents of the seven players were born in Malaysia, making them eligible under FIFA's nationality rules.

FAM Vice President Sivasundaram Sithamparam Pillai announced on Friday that the association has formed a committee to investigate the case and prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Pillai explained that FAM secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman's suspension allows the committee to conduct its probe independently. He also confirmed no FAM members would sit on this committee but offered no further details.

"FAM maintains that these players were lawfully naturalised in accordance with Malaysian law," Pillai said. "FAM remains steadfast in our mission to uphold transparency, to protect Malaysian football’s reputation."

The FIFA committee had found original certificates showed these family members were actually born in the players' home countries, including Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Malaysia's FIFA Allegations Explained

The FIFA report highlighted FAM's admission that the association "was contacted by external agencies regarding the players’ heritage and yet failed to independently verify the authenticity of the documentation".

The seven players at the centre of the case are Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca (all Argentina-born), Gabriel Felipe Arrocha and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui (Spain-born), Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano (Netherlands-born), and Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo (Brazil-born).

All obtained Malaysian citizenship and were included in the national team following a policy shift, begun in 2018, encouraging the recruitment of overseas-born players with claimed Malaysian heritage in an effort to strengthen the national team and improve its international ranking.

The cheating allegations from FIFA, however, has caused significant embarrassment for Malaysian football. Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin, former FAM president, currently serves on the 37-member FIFA Council. Malaysia’s king from 2019-2024, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, also served on FIFA's ruling committee from 2015-2019.

Appeal Process Amid 'No Forgery' Defence

Serge Vittoz, an international sports lawyer representing FAM, said FIFA would decide on Malaysia’s appeal against the sanctions on October 30. He highlighted that the appeal's main contention was that FAM and the seven players bore no responsibility for any forgery.

"There was no forgery on the side of the player," Vittoz said at a FAM press conference. There was no forgery on the side of the FAM as an institution and if any wrongdoing was done, it should be targeted to the person in question." However, the lawyer did not elaborate on who this person might be.

If unsuccessful, FAM will seek a reduction in its liability and may take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

(With AP Inputs)