ESPN Expert: 'If AFC pardons FAM and the Malaysian national team, it would be another scandal'

John Duerden, ESPN's veteran writer specializing in Asian football coverage, argues that AFC needs to promptly issue a clear penalty against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and its national teamfollowing violations related to the improper use of naturalized players.

John Duerden: AFC needs to issue a clear penalty against Malaysia

According to Duerden, as of March 11, nearly a week has passed since the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued its notification rejecting FAM's appeal on March 5. The CAS ruling only partially reduced the penalties for the seven involved players – they remain banned from playing for 12 months, only permitted to train with their clubs and participate in unofficial matches.

However, what has drawn public attention is that AFC has yet to announce the final disciplinary action against Malaysian football, despite previously stating it would await decisions from FIFA and the CAS ruling before taking measures.

In an article titled "The Naturalization Scandal in Malaysia: A Sad Lack of Accountability," Duerden argues that the violations are too evident and require strong measures. He believes matches where Malaysia used ineligible players should be forfeited, potentially benefiting the Vietnamese national team in securing a spot for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia.

The British journalist also recalled the precedent of the Timor-Leste national team in 2017, when it used several improperly naturalized Brazilian players. At that time, Timor-Leste was stripped of all results in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and simultaneously excluded from the subsequent Asian Cup. According to Duerden, if AFC does not apply similar measures to Malaysia, it would raise doubts about inconsistency in handling such cases.

He also believes AFC's delay is raising many public questions, especially given the organization's headquarters are in Kuala Lumpur. According to Duerden, there are reports that influential figures in Malaysia are lobbying to reduce the penalty. "If that happens and AFC pardons FAM and the Malaysian national team, it would be another scandal," he emphasized.

Additionally, Duerden criticized FAM's reaction following the CAS ruling. He finds it puzzling that the federation expressed "disappointment" with the ruling, as the violations have been clearly identified by FIFA's disciplinary bodies and CAS.

The ESPN journalist argues that FAM needs to be more transparent with fans and clearly explain what happened, rather than portraying itself as a "victim." He concludes that Malaysian fans and Asian football deserve clearer and more transparent accountability from football governing bodies.