AFC says no probe into Malaysia's naturalised players
AFC general-secretary Datuk Seri Windsor Paul, in a brief but clear statement, said the regional body had not been alerted to any concerns following Malaysia's 4-0 win over Vietnam in Bukit Jalil — a match that featured five debutants with newly acquired Malaysian citizenship.
"There has been no information submitted to the AFC on this matter," said Windsor.
"Player status matters are under the purview of FIFA."
His comments come amid mounting noise from Vietnam and Indonesia, where some media outlets have reported that Malaysia could face sanctions if the eligibility of the players is found to have been compromised.
One Indonesian outlet claimed that Malaysia could be hit with a US$2 million (RM9.4 million) fine, future bans on naturalisation, or even the nullification of the Vietnam result, if documentation for the players is proven to be falsified.
However, the FA of Malaysia (FAM) has firmly denied any wrongdoing.
FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman stressed that the governing body had fully complied with all international regulations.
"As of today, we have not received any letters from FIFA or the AFC (regarding this matter)," said Azman.
"We followed all the regulations. We deny all those statements."
The five players in question — Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Hidalgo and Jon Irazabal — all made their international debuts in the match against Vietnam.
Their performance played a key role in securing Malaysia's emphatic victory, but also drew scrutiny from regional rivals, particularly over their eligibility status.
Despite the speculation, FAM insists all five players met the necessary criteria to represent Malaysia in official competition.
Harimau Malaya currently sit top of Group F with six points, having also beaten Nepal 2-0 in their opening fixture.
Under new head coach Peter Cklamovski, Malaysia are eyeing a strong finish to the campaign, with a crucial home-and-away double-header against Laos coming up in October.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
No formal protests over Malaysia's naturalised players, says AFC
Nine of Malaysia's starting-11 in their match against Vietnam last month were naturalised players, with five of them receiving Fifa clearance just hours before kick-off. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The Asian Football Confederation has not received any official complaint regarding Malaysia's naturalised players following the national team's Asian Cup qualifier win against Vietnam last month. AFC general-secretary Windsor Paul told FMT that the status of naturalised players was ultimately a matter for the world football governing body, Fifa. 'The status of players comes under the purview of Fifa. From my side, AFC has not received any official protest. And even if we did, we will forward it to Fifa,' he said. This follows an Indonesian report claiming that Malaysia's 4-0 win over Vietnam on June 10 may be overturned because some of Harimau Malaya's naturalised players were purportedly ineligible to represent the nation. The report alleged that the result would be voided and Vietnam would be awarded a 3-0 win. It also said the Football Association of Malaysia could be fined up to US$2 million (RM9.4 million) and face further sanctions if Fifa finds evidence of document manipulation involving the heritage of players. FAM dismissed the report as baseless, saying it had complied with the necessary procedures for the registration of the players. Nine of the team's starting-11 in the game were naturalised players, with five of them – Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, Jon Irazabal, Facundo Garces and Imanol Machuca – receiving Fifa clearance just hours before kick-off.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Former Arsenal soccer player Partey charged with five counts of rape
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London's Metropolitan Police said on Friday. Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said. Partey's management did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He is due to appear at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Aug. 5. Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros (US$59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal's first team. He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Three AMD stars head to Vincent Tan's FK Sarajevo for trials
KUALA LUMPUR: A major breakthrough awaits three rising stars from the Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD), who have been selected for a trial with FK Sarajevo's academy in Bosnia and Herzegovina from July 5-26 — a move made possible through the support of the club's co-owner, Tan Sri Vincent Tan. The trio — Izzuddin Afif Nazaruddin (forward), Ilham Azani Azamin (midfielder), both aged 17, and Iman Danish Shukor, a 16-year-old striker — are national youth team regulars and have all featured in recent international tournaments. They are widely seen as future stars of the national team. The National Sports Council (NSC) expressed its gratitude to FK Sarajevo's owners, Vincent Tan and Ismir Mirvic, for their continued support in nurturing Malaysian football talent. "This is a valuable opportunity for our top young players to develop in a competitive European environment," said the NSC in a statement on Friday. The initiative is also backed by the FA of Malaysia (FAM), as part of its broader strategy to create international pathways for local youth players. FK Sarajevo are among the most decorated clubs in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with five league titles and eight Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup crowns to their name.
