Expert criticizes Malaysian Football Association following CAS ruling

A Malaysian football critic has voiced criticism against the country's Football Association for still not issuing a public apology to the Malaysian people, immediately after the final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Critic Zack Rahim stated: "CAS has said you were wrong. But FAM has not even uttered a single apology. Why is that so difficult?"

Zack believes the consequences from the scandal involving players of foreign origin could be very severe.

"I am almost certain Malaysia will be deducted six points in the Asian Cup qualifiers," he said.

Previously, Malaysia defeated the Vietnamese and Nepalese national teams in the Asian Cup qualifiers, but these results are predicted to be reconsidered by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) following the CAS ruling.

Last Thursday, CAS upheld the 350,000 Swiss franc penalty (approximately 1.8 million ringgit) imposed by FIFA on FAM, and maintained the 12-month playing ban on seven naturalized players after their appeal.

FIFA previously penalized FAM and the seven players for falsifying documents related to eligibility for the national team.

According to Zack Rahim, the issue does not stop at the penalty. "This is not just about the punishment. It also threatens the reputation of our country's football, the players, and the youth development system."

He also criticized FAM for not directly communicating with fans about the mistakes that occurred and the association's corrective plans.

"Even FAM's latest announcement contains no apology. Seven players are ineligible to play, yet there is not a single apology. That is a slap in the face to fans and the football community."

Throughout the incident, FAM is said to have maintained a defiant attitude, even questioning the fairness of the CAS ruling.

Yesterday, March 6, AFC General Secretary Windsor Paul John indicated that after the 12-month suspension period ends, it is highly likely these players will still not be permitted to play for the Malaysian national team.

"At this moment, after the 12-month period, the likelihood that those seven players cannot play for the Malaysian national team is very high, based on the decision already issued by CAS."

He also emphasized that all subsequent steps will be forwarded to the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee to decide whether any additional disciplinary measures will be applied to FAM or the related players.