Rejected harshly by FIFA, Malaysia reveals a bold move to save 7 players

Following FIFA’s rejection of the appeal about the 7 naturalized players, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced its intention to continue fighting and get ready to file a lawsuit with the International Sports Court (CAS).

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed it will keep pursuing the case concerning the seven naturalized players after FIFA’s Appeal Committee rejected the appeal submitted earlier by FAM and the players themselves.

This information was confirmed by the acting FAM president, Datuk Wira Yusoff Mahadi, in a statement released on November 3rd. According to Mr. Yusoff, FIFA’s ruling came as a great surprise to FAM and its legal team, but the organization will not give up and insists it will do everything possible to protect the legitimate rights of the players as well as the honor of Malaysian football on the international stage.

“This is the first time FAM has faced such a situation. Both we and our lawyers were very surprised by the decision of FIFA’s Appeal Committee. However, this does not diminish FAM’s determination. We will keep fighting for the players’ rights and the interests of Malaysian football,” Mr. Yusoff affirmed.

The seven players in question are of Malaysian descent but were born and raised abroad and have expressed their desire to represent the national team. However, FIFA denied their eligibility to play internationally due to issues related to nationality requirements and regulations on switching playing status. The appeal to FIFA’s Appeal Committee was seen as FAM’s final effort to clear the way for these players to legally compete for the Malaysian team.

After the appeal was rejected, FAM stated it will officially request FIFA to provide all detailed reasons and documentation regarding the decision. Once the response is received, FAM will proceed to bring the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest authority for resolving international sports disputes.

“We believe this effort is not only for the seven players but also for the future and reputation of Malaysian football. FAM will not back down in the face of any difficulties,” emphasized Mr. Yusoff Mahadi.