Kuala lumpur: Johor Regent, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, expressed skepticism regarding FIFA’s willingness to overturn its sanctions on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven heritage national players. Instead, he anticipates that FIFA might opt to reduce the severity of the sanctions imposed.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Regent suggested that FIFA could impose fines on FAM and potentially the national team, or even consider point deductions and player bans. However, the duration of any potential bans remains uncertain. During a media conference, His Royal Highness emphasized the importance of FAM and its legal team continuing with the appeal process, including the possibility of bringing the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if necessary.
The Regent highlighted that the report prompting FIFA’s investigation originated from an individual in Vietnam, rather than the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). He commented on the unusual nature of FIFA entertaining such complaints, noting that it seemed peculiar given the volume of complaints FIFA likely receives globally.
Despite the ongoing crisis, Tunku Mahkota Ismail maintained that the national squad project he initiated should not be considered a failure. He pointed to improvements in team structure, technical and tactical aspects, player spirit, and training management, which have led to Malaysia’s current world ranking of 130th.
His Royal Highness also addressed the authenticity of the documents related to the heritage players, asserting that they were validated by the government. He attributed any issues to a technical error in the submission process and expressed confidence in the integrity of the documents.
Last month, FIFA’s disciplinary committee sanctioned FAM and seven heritage players-Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel-after determining violations of Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. FAM was fined CHF 350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), and each player received a fine of CHF 2,000 (around RM10,560), along with a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities, effective from the date of the decision notice.