Fifa has blown the final whistle on the FA of Malaysia’s (FAM) appeal against the world body’s sanctions. And the verdict is devastatingly clear – the national body remains guilty of submitting “doctored documentation” involving seven “heritage” players.
FAM’s attempt to overturn the decision was dismissed on Nov 3, resulting in heavy fines amounting to RM1.8 million and a 12-month ban on each of the players.
Despite this profound institutional failure, acting FAM president Datuk Wira Yusoff Mahadi said the next step is to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). This move is not an act of defending the sport – it is an act of prolonging the agony and extending the national disgrace.
FAM’s leadership must immediately halt any plan to appeal to CAS and instead face the stark reality of their failure. Continuing this legal battle is ill-advised. Malaysia’s case is undeniably weak. Also, who will bear the legal costs of an inevitable defeat at CAS? Taxpayers’ money and vital football development funds should not be spent on an exercise in futility to “save face”. Every ringgit spent on CAS is a ringgit taken away from developing grassroots football and building an honest future for the sport.
Malaysians want football to flourish, not be mired in scandal. Dragging this out delays the inevitable sporting consequences – like the potential docking of 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers points by the Asian Football Confederation – and prevents the necessary process of cleanup and reform from beginning.
The penalties are significant, but the real damage is the loss of trust that will linger far longer. It cannot be the fault of one individual but every single person involved. The world is watching.
FAM’s time is up. To move forward, FAM’s committee must resign en bloc. The present set of officials cannot restore the confidence they have completely lost.
This would show genuine remorse and a commitment to the sport’s future over personal tenure. It’s an act of honesty that, while historically rare in Malaysian culture, is necessary to reclaim the dignity traded away for convenience.
We must stop pretending. We must stop appealing. We must accept the verdict, apologise to the nation, and let a new group of individuals – selected for their integrity, honesty and trustworthiness – take charge.
The nation is tired of delay. Let’s clean the slate now.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
