PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have refuted FIFA’s findings, saying that the description provided in the world body’s judgment is inaccurate and that the seven mixed-heritage players did not knowingly use falsified documents.
In a statement issued on Tuesday (Oct 7), FAM stressed that FIFA’s claim that the players "obtained or were aware of forged documents" was unfounded, as no solid evidence had been presented to support the allegation.
FAM clarified that the issue arose from a wrong submission, describing it as an administrative error in which a staff member mistakenly uploaded documents obtained from an agent instead of the official records issued by the National Registration Department (NRD).
"As explained previously, the mistake occurred due to an administrative error when a staff member accidentally uploaded documents from an agent rather than the official documents from NRD," the statement read.
FAM confirmed that an official appeal is being prepared and will include authentic, government-certified documents to support its case.
"The official appeal is now being prepared using the original, verified documents issued by the Malaysian government."
The association reiterated their commitment to defending the integrity of Malaysian football and to presenting factual, verifiable evidence throughout the appeal process.
"FAM remain committed to defending the integrity of national football based on facts and authentic documentation."
