The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has been embroiled in a major scandal after FIFA ruled that they submitted falsified documents to allow seven foreign-born players (purportedly of Malaysian heritage) to represent the national team. In September, FIFA imposed sanctions on FAM and the players involved, including fines and a 12-month suspension. FAM appealed but the Appeal Committee upheld all sanctions. This also triggered a broader fallout, including calls by FIFA for an independent inquiry into how such falsified documents were approved. FIFA said this is “pure and simple, a form of cheating.”

The scandal has raised serious concerns about governance and transparency within Malaysian football, not to mention our National Registration Department & Home Ministry for their alleged inconsistencies in implementing citizenship laws. It has also raised serious questions about the future of Malaysian football. 

In this episode, we unpack all of this and more with Haresh Deol, a sports journalist and the founder of twentytwo13, and Shazwan Wong, a youth football coach at FC Kepong. 

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