The AFC confirmed that it has not received any notification from the World Football Federation (FIFA) regarding Malaysia being sanctioned for violations in the process of naturalizing players.
This announcement was made by AFC General Secretary - Mr. Datuk Seri Windsor Paul, on the evening of July 21 in the context of speculation about the possibility of Malaysia being suspended from international tournaments spreading rapidly in Southeast Asian media.
According to Mr. Windsor, if there is any form of sanctions, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will be the first unit to be notified.
"We have not received any information regarding Malaysia's suspension. Moreover, this is an issue under the authority of FIFA, not the AFC," Mr. Windsor emphasized.
The source of the speculation began with a statement from Indonesian football expert Justinus Lhaksana, commonly known as Coach Justin in a YouTube program on July 20.
Here, Mr. Justin accused FAM of circumventing the law by using dishonest records to naturalize players. He even said that FIFA could issue a ban on Malaysia's international matches until 2027.
Coach Justin's statement immediately caused a stir in public opinion. Under information pressure, the AFC was forced to speak up to reassure fans.
The allegations appeared after Malaysia fielded 5 South American players in a 4-0 win over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10. Names such as Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Jon Irazabal, Joao Figueiredo and facundo Garces are all said to have just been naturalized "quickly".
Although the authenticity of the relevant documents is unknown, up to now, FIFA has not made any statement about the incident. According to the AFC, until there is an official move from the highest authority in world football, all suspicions are still at the level of rumors.
