FIFA accused of 'hypocrisy' over sanctions against Malaysia's national team

The Chairman of the Malaysian Relief and Humanitarian Organization has voiced criticism against FIFA regarding the punishment concerning the citizenship process of Malaysian players.

Recently, Mr. Jismi Johari, Chairman of the Malaysian Relief and Humanitarian Organization (MAHAR), spoke out against FIFA’s decision to suspend seven Malaysian football players and fine the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), calling it an unjust and hypocritical action.

He stated that MAHAR always respects the strictness of sports regulations but cannot remain silent about what he considers clear evidence of unfairness.

Specifically, Mr. Jismi Johari declared: "FIFA’s rush to announce penalties against our players, even though FAM has confirmed they will appeal and emphasized their good faith—especially since FIFA had previously validated the players’ eligibility—suggests suspicious motives behind this decision.

This is in stark contrast to FIFA’s prolonged silence and inaction towards Israel, whose team continues to participate in international competitions despite numerous reports of the country’s conflicts..."

Previously, FAM and seven players were penalized by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee for violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC)related to forgery and document fraud. FIFA stated that FAM submitted altered documents during the eligibility verification process to field players in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Nepal and Vietnam.

Mr. Jismi emphasized that calls to sanction Israel, similar to FIFA’s swift ban on Russia just four days after its conflict with neighboring Ukraine, have been consistently ignored. According to him, this silence indicates that FIFA’s principles are not based on justice or humanitarian values but are influenced by political interests and a troubling tolerance of serious injustices.

He said: "The speed at which FIFA issued and announced this ruling, even before FAM’s appeal process, raises questions whether this is truly a disciplinary action or a politically motivated decision. This represents a grave ethical failure."

The head of MAHAR fully supports the affected Malaysian players and FAM, while calling on FIFA to immediately reconsider this disproportionate sanction.

If FIFA’s sanction against FAM remains, it is almost certain that Malaysia will forfeit 0-3 losses to Nepal and Vietnam, following international football norms. This is because if even one ineligible player participates—due to suspension, lack of transfer documents, or improper registration—the team using that player will be handed a 0-3 defeat.

Related article

Why did FIFA 'target' Malaysia over player naturalization? FIFA launched an investigation and imposed sanctions on Malaysian football following numerous doubts about player naturalization, including unclear birth records, expedited procedures, and controversial origins. See also