Malaysian Football Executive Committee Resigns Amid Naturalization Scandal
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) faced a significant upheaval as its entire executive committee resigned on Wednesday. This decision came in the wake of a scandal linked to the naturalization of seven foreign-born players, resulting in FIFA sanctions and heightened scrutiny over soccer governance in Malaysia.
All the committee members, who were elected just 11 months ago for the 2025-2029 term, chose to step down immediately and unanimously. The primary motive behind this mass resignation was to preserve the association’s credibility.
FIFA had previously imposed a fine of approximately $450,000 on the FAM last September and suspended the seven players for one year. The sanctions were due to the submission of allegedly falsified documents that supported the players’ naturalization. The individuals involved, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Héctor Hevel, who hail from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain, were also fined individually.
These players had participated in a qualifying match for the 2027 Asian Cup, where Malaysia claimed victory against Vietnam. Malaysian officials insisted that the players were eligible under FIFA rules, citing that each had a grandparent born in Malaysia. However, FIFA’s investigation reportedly uncovered original documents from the players’ home countries that contradicted these claims.
In a statement released on Wednesday, FAM emphasized that the resignations were a measure to protect the association’s reputation and to minimize further repercussions for Malaysian football. The move is intended to allow FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to assess governance, administrative, and procedural aspects within FAM without conflicts of interest.
The statement also highlighted the executive committee’s commitment to collective responsibility, noting that maintaining the integrity and reputation of the association was of utmost importance. The association aims to restore confidence among supporters, stakeholders, and the global football community, asserting that institutional credibility is vital for the sport’s future development in Malaysia.
Currently, there is no set timeline for appointing interim leadership or scheduling new elections. Acting FAM president Mohamad Yusoff Mahadi reported that committee secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman would continue overseeing daily operations. A congress is expected to convene soon to appoint a new executive committee.
FIFA had initially rejected FAM’s appeal, prompting the association to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. On Tuesday, FAM announced that the court had temporarily halted the FIFA-imposed ban on the players, allowing them to compete while the appeal is under review. The timeline for a final ruling remains unspecified.
