FAM exco members quit en masse

PETALING JAYA (Jan 28): The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) today announced that all members of its Executive Committee (Exco) for the 2025-2029 term have collectively and voluntarily tendered their resignations with immediate effect.

Acting FAM president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said the decision was made unanimously, taking into account organisational responsibility and without regard to personal interests or positions.

He said the move was a prudent and principled step taken in light of the current situation that has drawn public attention and, among others, aimed at safeguarding the integrity of FAM.

“This resignation is intended to achieve the following objectives, namely to protect the reputation and interests of FAM as an organisation and to reduce the risk of more serious consequences that could affect Malaysian football as a whole.

“To uphold the principles of good governance and accountability, particularly in circumstances where public confidence must be preserved,” he said at a press conference after chairing a Special Meeting of the FAM Executive Committee at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya here today.

He said the resignations would also provide appropriate space for the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to freely assess, review and, if necessary, address matters related to FAM’s governance and administrative affairs.

According to him, the move would also ensure that any necessary reforms can be implemented without interference or perceived conflicts, and on the basis of a high level of trust.

Meanwhile, Mohd Yusoff said the resignations were also aimed at restoring confidence among supporters, stakeholders, partners and the football community as a whole.

Separately, Mohd Yusoff said FAM Secretary-General Datuk Noor Azman Rahman will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the governing body, which is expected to convene an Electoral Congress to appoint a new Executive Committee.

The crisis currently affecting FAM began in September last year after FIFA confirmed that FAM and seven players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Manchuca, Jodo Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel – were found to have breached Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

Investigations found that FAM had submitted documents believed to have been falsified to verify the eligibility of the seven players, thereby allowing them to feature in a 4-0 win over Vietnam in Group F of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers here in June last year.

Following the decision, FAM was ordered to pay a fine of CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (around RM11,000), and all seven were suspended from all football-related activities for 12 months.CHF is the code for the Swiss franc.

Yesterday, FAM informed that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had allowed the application for a Stay of Execution submitted by the seven players after FIFA’s Appeal Committee rejected the appeals previously lodged by FAM and the players. — Bernama