PETALING JAYA, Oct 25 — Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said he does not expect Fifa to overturn its ruling and believes the global football authority will maintain the sanctions imposed on the national team.
He said during a press conference on Saturday that those involved must bear responsibility for the punishments that resulted in seven naturalised players being penalised over eligibility violations, New Straits Times (NST) reported.
"I do not agree with the suspension of FA of Malaysia secretary-general (Noor Azman Rahman). He shouldn't be suspended. In fact, everyone should take responsibility, including the (national team) CEO (Rob Friend)," NST quoted him as saying.
The seven players — Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Hector Hevel, Facundo Garcés and Gabriel Palmero — received one-year suspensions from Fifa for breaching player eligibility rules.
Fifa also fined both the FA of Malaysia (FAM) and the players nearly RM2 million in total.
FAM have lodged an appeal and may escalate the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
