KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has denied claims that its administration will be taken over by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) through a normalisation committee.
The reports came amid separate allegations that members of FAM’s Executive Committee (Exco) would resign en masse as early as next week.
FAM’s acting president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said a normalisation committee is only set up to assist associations that have been suspended.
"The normalisation committee is only when a football association is suspended. In this case, even if resignations occur, we may only involve the AFC to help and provide advice," he told Bernama when contacted today.
Commenting on the alleged mass resignation next week, Mohd Yusoff added that an Exco meeting will be held next Wednesday to finalise the matter.
Meanwhile, AFC also has denied claims that it plans to step in and run the FAM through a normalisation committee.
AFC secretary general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John said the organisation had no authority to take over the administration of another association.
“The rumours are not true. I am not sure about the mass resignation but AFC cannot take over the administration of another association,” he told Bernama.
He added that while AFC could offer support to FAM, any assistance would depend on the nature of the issues involved and what the governing body required.
The storm currently facing FAM began in September last year after FIFA confirmed that FAM and seven players - Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Manchuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel - were found to have violated Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).
The investigation found that FAM submitted documents believed to be falsified to certify the eligibility of all seven players, allowing them to participate in the 4-0 victory over Vietnam in Group F of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers here last June.
Following the ruling, FAM was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF 2,000 (around RM11,000) and all seven players were suspended from any football-related activities for 12 months.
FAM is currently awaiting the outcome of its appeal on the matter at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA’s Appeal Committee rejected the appeal submitted by FAM and all seven players, thereby upholding the Disciplinary Committee’s ruling on the serious violation of Article 22 of the FDC.
However, the issue of falsified documents has tarnished FAM’s image and eroded supporters’ trust in the governing body, sparking calls for the FAM leadership to resign.
-- BERNAMA
