PETALING JAYA: Despite its two-month investigation into the Football Association of Malaysia’s heritage player scandal, the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) were still unable to identify the individual responsible for the falsification of documents.
However, the committee, in their recommendations, say that FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman must face disciplinary action while agents and players must be monitored.
They have also asked FAM to lodge a police report.
The IIC, chaired by former Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, presented their findings to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) yesterday.
The committee said they were unable to determine the mastermind behind the falsification due to several constraints, including the lack of cooperation from the certifying notary public and the inability to locate the seven players’ two agents, Nicolas Puppo and Frederico Moraes.
In line with FIFA’s written explanation to FAM last month, the IIC have recommended that a police report be lodged.
“The IIC could not conclusively determine who falsified the disputed documents.
“What is clear, however, is that there are the serious failures in oversight, due diligence and administrative control within FAM’s management that allowed this incident to occur without detection or intervention.
“FAM are advised to immediately lodge a police report, take appropriate internal disciplinary action where oversight failed, and implement the structural reforms recommended by the IIC.”
At the same time, the IIC found that Azman was the individual who instructed that the disputed documents be submitted to FIFA, although their authenticity had not been verified and the original handwritten birth records were not available from the National Registration Department.
Given his role as FAM’s chief administrative officer, the committee noted that documents submitted to external bodies, particularly on a matter as critical as the eligibility of players to represent the national team, should have undergone proper internal scrutiny.
The IIC found that this was not done, constituting a lapse in due diligence and a failure to adhere to appropriate procedures.
As a result, the committee recommended that internal disciplinary proceedings be initiated against Azman.
“The purpose of such proceedings is to determine whether the general secretary failed to exercise the requisite level of oversight and due diligence expected of his position, and whether any administrative sanctions or corrective measures are warranted,” the IIC said.
“This recommendation is made without prejudice and does not imply any finding of the general secretary’s personal involvement in the alleged falsification.”
Azman is currently suspended from his duties.
The IIC also said the authorities had to register and have oversight over agents and also conduct audits on information about players.
The FAM executive committee are set to hold a special meeting on Monday to review the investigation report in detail before determining the next course of action.
