The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced last Friday (17 October) that it had suspended its secretary general, Noor Azman Rahman, with immediate effect in the wake of Harimau Malaya squad’s heritage player scandal.
During the press conference, the FAM refused to disclose the family backgrounds of the seven players, claiming it could interfere with the ongoing appeal process with Fifa. The FAM has already been sanctioned by Fifa for alleged document forgery and falsification of citizenship of these players.
The decision on whether the seven players are allowed to return to the field or remain suspended is expected to be issued on 30 October, following the FAM’s appeal to Fifa.
If the players or the FAM are not satisfied with the appeal committee’s verdict, they may still bring the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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The controversy dates back to September, when Ffia imposed fines of 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.9m) on the FAM and 12-month bans on all seven players. The players were also fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM11,000) each.
Fifa later released a report, citing findings that the copies of the players’ grandparents’ birth certificates submitted by the FAM did not match original civil records in the players’ actual countries of birth.
The players concerned are Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
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