KUALA LUMPUR — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) could face even greater scrutiny and harsher penalties if it proceeds with its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to sports analyst Sadek Mustaffa.
Speaking to Scoop, Sadek, who is also a senior sports science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara, said that the 64-page document issued by FIFA represents a “firm and severe rebuke” over the alleged document falsification involving seven heritage players.
“With the statement issued by FIFA, it is clear that this is a serious matter,” he said.
“If FAM insists on taking this case to CAS, it would not be a wise decision for the association nor for Malaysia’s image. Further investigations are likely, and the reputation of our football could be even more tarnished.”
Sadek urged influential figures, including the Sports Commissioner and the Youth and Sports Minister, to advise FAM against pursuing the appeal.
He also emphasised the importance of developing national football talent from the grassroots, citing the models used by Japan and South Korea, where all national players are home-grown.
Meanwhile, Datuk Christopher Raj, a former national under-16 manager and sports analyst, echoed these concerns, warning that FAM must carefully consider the consequences of pursuing the CAS appeal, as any misstep could have far-reaching effects on Malaysian football at all levels, from grassroots development to the national teams.
“All I can say is that it is absolutely FAM’s right to challenge FIFA at CAS, as they have already stated their intention to do so.
“So the question of whether they want to go to CAS or not no longer arises, because the FAM deputy president Datuk S.Sivasundram has already made the decision.
“Within the 21-day window in which they will fight the case at CAS, my only advice to them is to prepare their documents and their defence thoroughly — to present their arguments on the processes they have carried out and to prove to CAS that their procedures were correct. It is as simple as that.”
Christopher also warned that any government interference could trigger severe consequences.
“The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) must be extremely cautious. If FIFA detects any intervention, FAM could be suspended, and this would affect all entities connected to the sport, including youth and women’s teams.
“There must be no instructions, requests to make decisions, or suggestions, because many countries have already faced suspension for this.
“Bangladesh, for instance, was suspended in 2017 after a minister asked their football association’s exco members to resign. Pakistan suffered similar consequences from 2017 until 2024.”
It was reported that KBS has referred the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) to carry out any investigations regarding the alleged document falsification involving seven Harimau Malaya heritage players.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh explained that she has already contacted the Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and expressed confidence that KDN will respond regarding the issue. - November 19, 2025
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