FAM Must Review FIFA Written Grounds Before Considering CAS Appeal, Says Lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) must first scrutinise the motivated decision, or written grounds, from the FIFA Appeal Committee regarding the sanctions imposed over alleged document falsification involving seven heritage players before deciding whether to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Commercial and sports lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli said the written grounds are necessary for FAM to determine whether there were factual or legal errors that could form a strong basis for an appeal.

“At this stage, it is difficult to assess FAM’s chances at CAS, given the limited transparency and information shared with the public by the national football body,” he told Bernama.

Nik Erman also did not rule out the possibility that bringing the case to CAS may cost millions of ringgit.

Meanwhile, former FAM general secretary Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad said FAM should learn from the issue, which he said has tarnished the reputation of Malaysian football.

Azzuddin, who served from 2007 to 2013, personally believes FAM will face significant challenges if it decides to proceed with a CAS appeal, including the risk of harsher penalties from FIFA and incurring substantial legal costs.

“The implication (of going to CAS) worries me. Our organisation could face suspension because it would appear that we are going against the tide, considering that FIFA’s findings are already laid out before us.

“We must remember that further actions can be taken (by FIFA),” he told reporters at the “Walk With Al-Sultan Abdullah: The King of Sports” event at Stadium Merdeka here today.

On Monday, FIFA rejected the appeal filed by FAM and the seven players involved: Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.

The FIFA Appeal Committee upheld the sanctions previously imposed by its Disciplinary Committee for offences related to document falsification under Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

As a result, FAM was fined CHF350,000 (about RM1.8 million), while the seven players were each fined CHF2,000 (about RM11,000) and suspended from all football-related activities for 12 months.

FAM and the players have 10 days to request the full written judgment and 21 days to file an appeal to CAS.

-- BERNAMA