Malaysia FA suspends secretary-general amid FIFA player document scandal
KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced on Friday that it has suspended its secretary-general, Noor Azman Rahman, and will establish an independent committee to investigate a “technical error” that led to FIFA suspending seven naturalised national team players over allegedly doctored documents.
The controversy erupted after FIFA’s disciplinary committee found that Malaysian authorities may have relied on forged paperwork to naturalise players Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel. According to FIFA, the birth certificates submitted by FAM contained major discrepancies compared to official records.
During a tense press conference, FAM and its legal team strongly denied any forgery but refused to explain how the players were naturalised, citing an ongoing appeal. “We have suspended Noor Azman Rahman effective immediately to allow for a fully independent probe,” said FAM Vice President S. Sivasundaram.
The scandal has sparked public outrage in Malaysia, with fans and lawmakers demanding accountability from both FAM and the government agencies involved in granting citizenship. FAM’s lawyer Serge Vittoz confirmed that an appeal has been filed with FIFA, with a decision expected on October 30.
