The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has rejected FIFA’s depiction of the recent case involving seven Harimau Malaya heritage players, calling the claims “inaccurate” and lacking evidence.
FAM said allegations that the players “obtained or were aware of fake documents” are unsubstantiated, with no solid proof presented so far.
“The heritage players involved are legitimate Malaysian citizens,” FAM said, adding that the issue stemmed from a wrong submission, an administrative error in which a staff member uploaded documents from an agent rather than the official records issued by the National Registration Department (JPN).
FAM confirmed it is preparing an official appeal using the correct, government-verified documents to defend the players’ eligibility.
“FAM will submit an official appeal regarding this conclusion and remains committed to defending the integrity of Malaysian football based on facts and verified documents,” the association said.
The clarification comes after FIFA released details of sanctions against FAM and the seven heritage players following inconsistencies in their original registration documents.
