The International Federation of Professional Players (FIFPRO) said it has closely monitored the complaints of 7 Malaysian players regarding fraudulent allegations in naturalization records, and confirmed that the players were not the ones intentionally violating the law when playing for the national team.
The case arose from FIFA's decision to impose a 12-month ban on 7 Malaysian players, citing that naturalization documents did not meet regulations on origin. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for review.
In the latest statement, FIFPRO said the disciplinary level for the group of players was inadequate, as the nature of the incident showed that the player did not directly control or decide on administrative procedures. According to FIFPRO, the entire naturalization process from submitting documents, taking an oath, issuing a passport to confirming competition status is handled by the authorities and the national football federation.
The organization stressed that players are unable to verify their own records with FIFA, and that holding them accountable for a process beyond their authority is concernsworthy. FIFPRO also expressed its hope that CAS will consider objective factors and make a fair decision.
The move from FIFPRO continues to increase pressure on FAM, because according to the organization's analysis, the Malaysian football management agency must bear the main responsibility for errors in the process of completing international competition documents. Although the possibility of a group of players having their penalties reduced is possible, the risk of the Malaysian national team and FAM facing heavier discipline from FIFA still exists.
