PETALING JAYA: It is time for the Harimau Malaya squad to shift their focus to their Asian Cup qualifier after going through a difficult time.
Malaysia national team chief executive officer Rob Friend has finally spoken up and said the team's preparation would be the priority after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld FIFA's decision to impose 12-month sanction to their mixed-heritage and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) over doctored documents
The seven players are barred from official matches but allowed to train with their respective clubs.
Friend said they would be ready for the against Vietnam on March 31 in Hanoi.
"Our responsibility now is to stand firmly behind the players, focus on the upcoming match against Vietnam, and ensure that Malaysian football emerges stronger and more united from this experience," said Friend in a statement on Monday (March 9).
The Canadian also acknowledged the challenges faced by the national players and their clubs during the process.
"This has been an extremely difficult period for the players and their clubs, who have supported them throughout despite having no involvement in the underlying issues," he said.
Friend however expressed disappointment over the decision by CAS although he acknowledged that the penalties had been reduced.
"The association believed there were strong arguments for a different outcome based on the case presented," he said.
"We are disappointed with the overall decision by CAS, despite the mitigation of the sanctions. Based on the arguments presented, we believed there were strong grounds for a different outcome.
Friend added that the players had conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity throughout the process.
He also felt that the sanctions remained excessive and disproportionate when compared with several previous cases involving similar circumstances, where full suspension from football activities was not imposed.
