Details of accusations of Malaysian football cheating

Malaysia relied on "technical errors" to appeal to FIFA.

According to FAM, an employee accidentally uploaded documents provided by player representatives, instead of official birth certificates issued by the National Registration Department (NRD).

FAM asserted that all seven naturalized players are legal citizens of Malaysia, and FIFA's accusation that they "used or attempted to use forged documents" is "unfounded and lacks concrete evidence." In a statement sent on October 7, FAM stated that the description in FIFA's ruling was inaccurate.

However, data from FIFA shows a different picture. The profiles of seven players were submitted by FAM at different times, spanning from March 19 to June 6, 2025. The earliest case was Hector Hevel, while the others were added weeks or even months apart.

Public opinion immediately questioned if it was just an "administrative error", how could the same mistake happen 7 times, with 7 different players at different times? Asean Football newspaper suspected this was a systematic cheating behavior.

That detail has now become the focus of the confrontation between FIFA and FAM. There, "administrative error" can be an excuse, or the final proof that Malaysian football is gradually losing control over the issue of naturalization.

Source: https://znews.vn/chi-tiet-to-cao-bong-da-malaysia-gian-lan-post1591549.html