Malaysia challenges FIFA after cheating accusations

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced on Tuesday its intention to appeal sanctions imposed by FIFA after it was accused of fraudulently submitting forged documents to secure international player eligibility. FIFA had previously suspended seven foreign-born players for 12 months and imposed a $438,000 fine after it was discovered that birth certificates submitted by the FAM contained discrepancies with the original documents, which showed the players’ relatives were born in their countries of origin, in violation of international eligibility rules. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee stated that the use of forged documents to participate in the national team constitutes a form of fraud, threatens the integrity of competitions, and undermines confidence in football as a transparent sport. The FAM responded, asserting that the players in question are legitimate Malaysian citizens and that the incident was an administrative error in the submission of documents. It indicated its readiness to lodge a formal appeal supported by authenticated documents from the Malaysian government. The statement affirmed that the Malaysian Football Association will remain committed to defending the integrity of national football based on facts and official documents. Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh expressed public anger and disappointment at what she described as "dangerous statements" issued by FIFA that have tarnished the country's image.