Intro
FAM leadership steps aside after FIFA sanctions over forged documents scandal
Kuala Lumpur
The entire executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) resigned on Wednesday following a major scandal involving the naturalization of seven foreign-born players, a controversy that led to FIFA sanctions and raised serious questions about governance in Malaysian football.
All committee members, elected just 11 months ago for the 2025–2029 term, stepped down with immediate effect in what FAM described as a unanimous and voluntary decision aimed at protecting the association’s credibility and integrity.
The mass resignation followed FIFA’s ruling last September that fined FAM about $450,000 and suspended the seven players for one year after concluding that fake documents had been submitted to support their eligibility. The players — Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Hevel — were also individually fined.
The footballers, hailing from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain, had represented Malaysia in international matches, including a successful 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam. Malaysian officials initially maintained the players were eligible under FIFA rules, claiming each had a Malaysian-born grandparent. FIFA investigators, however, said original documents obtained from the players’ countries of origin contradicted those claims.
In a statement, FAM said resigning after just 11 months into a four-year mandate underscored that service to Malaysian football outweighed holding office. The move, it said, was intended to safeguard the association’s reputation and allow FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to conduct a comprehensive review of governance, administrative and procedural matters without distraction.
“The executive committee recognizes the importance of collective responsibility,” FAM said, stressing the need to restore confidence among supporters and stakeholders.
Acting FAM president Mohamad Yusoff Mahadi said secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman would oversee daily operations, with a congress expected to be convened to appoint new leadership. Meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has temporarily lifted FIFA’s ban on the players while an appeal is reviewed.
