FIFA overturns three Malaysia football matches amid player eligibility scandal

KUALA LUMPUR – FIFA has overturned the results of three Malaysia matches after finding they had fielded ineligible players, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said on Dec 17, in the latest setback for the team amid a widening

document forgery scandal

.

FIFA had

suspended seven naturalised players

for 12 months and fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs (S$567,000) in September after finding false documentation had been used to allow them to play in an Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam in June.

Football’s world governing body dismissed an appeal by FAM in November, saying it would launch a formal probe into the association’s internal operations and notify the authorities in five countries of potential criminal proceedings.

FAM said in response it would bring the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

In its latest decision, FIFA’s disciplinary committee changed the results of three friendlies the players had appeared in, handing down 3-0 defeats for games against Cape Verde on May 29,

Singapore on Sept 4

and Palestine on Sept 8, FAM said.

The association has also been fined 10,000 Swiss francs.

Malaysia had drawn 1-1 with Cape Verde and earned 2-1 and 1-0 wins over Singapore and Palestine.

“FAM will make a written application to obtain the reasons for the decision from the FIFA disciplinary committee before considering the next steps to be taken in this matter,” the association said.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of business hours.

The scandal has sparked uproar in Malaysia, with fans and some lawmakers calling for action against FAM as well as government agencies responsible for granting the players’ citizenship.

In October,

the association suspended its secretary-general

and formed an independent committee to investigate what it called a “technical error”.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

has vowed full transparency in domestic probes

but stressed that FAM should be allowed to defend itself. REUTERS