KUCHING: Malaysian football is facing one of its toughest tests yet, said sports analyst Datuk Pekan Ramli, who noted that the nation’s ambitious football revolution has come under strain following FIFA’s decision to ban seven heritage players.
Pekan urged all stakeholders to accept the sanction with humility, stressing that pointing fingers at others would not resolve the issue.
“We made mistakes, and we must accept the punishment. This is a very unfortunate episode that has embarrassed our country.
“The trust we placed in those who claimed to be experts in football matters has been betrayed,” he said.
He also dismissed suggestions that the punishment was driven by sabotage or jealousy from other nations.
“FIFA is a professional international organisation with vast experience in handling such matters across the globe. I believe they conducted proper investigations before arriving at this decision.
“We cannot accuse FIFA of being easily swayed by sentiment,” he told Sarawak Tribune when contacted recently.
While acknowledging that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has already submitted an appeal, Pekan does not expect major changes.
“If the appeal is unsuccessful, there will be further consequences to face. Our result against Vietnam may even be overturned. Harimau Malaya will also be weakened without the services of seven heritage players, who must have understood the risks when they took this shortcut.”
The players involved in the sanction are Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Alejandro Hevel, all of whom featured in Malaysia’s third-round Group F Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Vietnam at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on June 10.
On Friday, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee announced a one-year suspension for the seven players and imposed a fine of RM1.8 million on FAM after finding the national body guilty of breaching Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code relating to document falsification.
Pekan added that Malaysian football must learn from this crisis and hold those responsible accountable.
“It seems our football is now being tested with a very heavy burden. The football revolution we have proudly championed is something we now have to pay for with the highest and most humiliating price to our nation’s image.”
On Sunday, FAM secretary general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman admitted there had been a technical error in the submission process of the seven heritage players’ documents by the association’s administrative staff.
He, however, stressed that all the players involved are legitimate Malaysian citizens, and FAM is now awaiting FIFA’s full judgment before submitting an appeal through the existing legal process.
Meanwhile, recently Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was surprised such an incident could occur at the highest level of national football administration.
“It is very disgraceful and shameful, especially to Malaysia, because football is such a popular sport managed by very high officials.
“Allegations of forged documents to register players as Malaysians are really despicable and a disgrace to Malaysians. We are ashamed that at this level, such things could happen. To me, this is a very wrong thing to do,” he said.
