PETALING JAYA: The show will go on.
Malaysia’s crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 third-round qualifier against Vietnam on March 31 will proceed as scheduled despite the recent Court of Arbitration (CAS) ruling involving seven mixed-heritage players and the Football Association Malaysia (FAM) over doctored eligibility documents.
The players face 12-month sanctions and fines.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul (pic) confirmed that the match would go ahead even as their disciplinary proceedings related to the CAS ruling continue.
He dismissed speculation that the match could be cancelled if FAM face further sanctions.
“Matches must go on. These are contractual and commercial fixtures that should not be cancelled unless natural disasters dictate otherwise,” he said.
“Both Vietnam and Malaysia have commercial obligations to fulfil. Matches are also vital for rankings, so cancellation is never a good word in football.”
Windsor added that the AFC disciplinary and ethics committee led by Jahangir Baglari has already begun reviewing the matter following the CAS decision.
“To inform the public, the committee will sit to make a final decision after receiving a formal response from FAM,” he said.
“We have identified the clauses within the regulations that were violated and have asked them to provide their response. The disciplinary committee are ready to decide on the matter.”
He said a decision is expected within seven to 10 days after FAM submits their response.
“The initial charging process is ongoing. We must give FAM time to respond, after which the committee will make a decision based on the reply and the evidence provided by FIFA,” he added.
Meanwhile, national team chief executive officer Rob Friend expressed disappointment with the CAS verdict although he acknowledged that the sanctions were reduced.
“We are disappointed with the overall decision by CAS. Based on the arguments presented, we believed there were strong grounds for a different outcome,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Friend maintained that the players had acted professionally throughout the process and said the penalties remained excessive compared with similar past cases.
The tribunal ruled that their suspension would apply only to official matches, allowing them to continue training and participating in other football-related activities with their clubs.
The players involved are Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.
Friend said the focus now would shift to preparing the national team, known as Harimau Malaya, for the upcoming clash against Vietnam.
“Our responsibility now is to stand firmly behind the players, focus on the upcoming match against Vietnam, and ensure Malaysian football emerges stronger and more united from this experience,” he said.
