The entire executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have resigned amid a simmering scandal over foreign-born players in the national team. FIFA, the world football governing body, has accused FAM of doctoring citizenship documents so seven foreign-born athletes could play for Malaysia.
The mass resignations would ensure that any necessary reforms may be undertaken without distraction or perceived conflicts, and with a renewed basis of trust, FAM said in a statement on Wednesday. For days there had been speculation that FAM leaders would step down to prevent a takeover by a FIFA-nominated committee, local media reported.
The resignations were meant to safeguard the reputation and institutional interests of FAM and avoid consequences that could affect Malaysian football as a whole, FAM said. It added that until a new committee is appointed, FAM's operations will be managed by a small team led by its secretary-general with help from the Asian Football Confederation.
The seven foreign-born players have been fined by FIFA, which also temporarily suspended them from playing football. But that suspension was lifted this week by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is set to deliver a verdict on the fates of the embattled athletes.
After Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam in an Asian Cup qualifier last June, FIFA launched an investigation into the eligibility of the seven foreign-born players on the Malaysian national team. They are: Spanish-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui; Argentinian-born Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca; Netherlands-born Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano; and Brazilian-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.
FIFA's grandfather rule allows foreign-born football players to represent countries that their biological parents or grandparents were born in. However, according to FIFA, FAM had forged birth certificates to make it look as though these players' grandparents were born in Malaysian cities.
The FIFA disciplinary committee fined the players and suspended them for 12 months. It also ordered FAM to pay 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,000; £330,000). FAM said the discrepancies arose from an administrative error and maintained that the players were legitimate Malaysian citizens. However, its appeal was rejected by FIFA, which overturned the results of three of Malaysia's football matches into 3-0 defeats.
FIFA also pledged to launch a formal investigation into FAM and inform authorities in five countries of forgery offences. Following the rejection of its appeal, FAM took the case to the CAS, which allowed the players to participate in football activities until it issues a verdict on their eligibility, expected in late February. Currently, players like Facundo Garces and Joao Figueiredo have rejoined their training sessions as they await the outcome.
The mass resignations would ensure that any necessary reforms may be undertaken without distraction or perceived conflicts, and with a renewed basis of trust, FAM said in a statement on Wednesday. For days there had been speculation that FAM leaders would step down to prevent a takeover by a FIFA-nominated committee, local media reported.
The resignations were meant to safeguard the reputation and institutional interests of FAM and avoid consequences that could affect Malaysian football as a whole, FAM said. It added that until a new committee is appointed, FAM's operations will be managed by a small team led by its secretary-general with help from the Asian Football Confederation.
The seven foreign-born players have been fined by FIFA, which also temporarily suspended them from playing football. But that suspension was lifted this week by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is set to deliver a verdict on the fates of the embattled athletes.
After Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam in an Asian Cup qualifier last June, FIFA launched an investigation into the eligibility of the seven foreign-born players on the Malaysian national team. They are: Spanish-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui; Argentinian-born Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca; Netherlands-born Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano; and Brazilian-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.
FIFA's grandfather rule allows foreign-born football players to represent countries that their biological parents or grandparents were born in. However, according to FIFA, FAM had forged birth certificates to make it look as though these players' grandparents were born in Malaysian cities.
The FIFA disciplinary committee fined the players and suspended them for 12 months. It also ordered FAM to pay 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,000; £330,000). FAM said the discrepancies arose from an administrative error and maintained that the players were legitimate Malaysian citizens. However, its appeal was rejected by FIFA, which overturned the results of three of Malaysia's football matches into 3-0 defeats.
FIFA also pledged to launch a formal investigation into FAM and inform authorities in five countries of forgery offences. Following the rejection of its appeal, FAM took the case to the CAS, which allowed the players to participate in football activities until it issues a verdict on their eligibility, expected in late February. Currently, players like Facundo Garces and Joao Figueiredo have rejoined their training sessions as they await the outcome.
