HOT: AFC provides information favorable to the Malaysian Football Association

AFC confirms FAM is unlikely to be suspended following CAS's ruling on the naturalized player case, helping Malaysian football somewhat reduce pressure ahead of further disciplinary sanctions.

AFC confirms FAM will not be suspended from operations after the CAS ruling regarding the use of ineligible players. This information was provided by AFC General Secretary Windsor John when addressing the media on the next steps for handling FAM. According to him, the relevant disciplinary regulations are primarily found in Article 25 and Article 56 of the AFC Ethics and Disciplinary Code.

According to Article 25, if a team is found to have used an ineligible player, the match result may be annulled and the opponent awarded a 3-0 win. This regulation applies in cases where a team violates player eligibility requirements for a match.

Meanwhile, Article 56 relates to players who are not qualified to compete, such as those under suspension or facing registration issues. Violations of this type can lead to disciplinary penalties, but do not include suspension of the entire federation or team.

“If you look at these two provisions, there is no regulation mentioning the suspension of a federation or team. However, the disciplinary committee has the authority to impose additional penalties if necessary,” Mr. Windsor John stated during his exchange with the media.

According to the AFC General Secretary, FAM will be formally charged related to the case and granted time to present their defense to the AFC Ethics and Disciplinary Committee before any decision is made.

Previously, AFC announced that the dossier concerning FAM and the seven foreign-born players of the Malaysian national team would be forwarded to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee for further review. This move followed AFC receiving the CAS ruling on the appeal previously submitted by FAM.

Nevertheless, the risk of suspension is assessed to be very low, as the main penalties related to document forgery have already been issued by FIFA and CAS previously. Therefore, FAM is likely to face only disciplinary or administrative penalties rather than stronger measures such as suspension.