Former Malaysian football star urges the Federation to acknowledge mistakes and stop suing FIFA

04/11/2025 14:25:00 PANDATV

Malaysian football must take responsibility and move forward following FIFA’s rejection of the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) appeal concerning penalties imposed on seven naturalized players, former striker Safee Sali stated.

Safee – who won the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup under coach Datuk K. Rajagopal and earned the tournament’s top scorer title – believes this is a lesson that needs to be seriously acknowledged.

"This is very difficult for fans and those involved in football. FIFA has made a clear decision and we must accept it. We need to improve and concentrate on upcoming matches," he told The Star.

Former Malaysian national team striker and 2010 AFF Cup champion Safee Sali (left). Photo: Character’s Facebook

Safee urged everyone to maintain a positive spirit despite the damage to Malaysian football’s reputation.

"We have to stand behind the national team. We cannot fall just because of this," he added. "Taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) might not bring a favorable outcome. We should accept our mistakes and learn from them."

He also warned against making rushed decisions just to achieve immediate success.

"We want quick results, but we must question whether those decisions are right," Safee said.

"Those within FAM must have a sense of responsibility. In the future, we need to foster football through love and passion. If we truly care about this sport, things will improve," he emphasized.

Yesterday (Nov 3), FIFA officially rejected FAM’s appeal and upheld the penalties against the federation and the seven mixed-nationality players.

FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (equivalent to about 1.8 million ringgit).

The players were each fined 2,000 Swiss francs (roughly 10,400 ringgit) and banned from all football activities for 12 months.

This morning, Nov 4, acting FAM President Datuk Yusoff Mahadi announced the federation will prepare all necessary documents, evidence, and arguments before submitting the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“FAM will be ready with all relevant documents and information to present to CAS in an effort to overturn FIFA’s sanctions,” Yusoff said.

“The appointed lawyers will examine every necessary detail, and FAM will not remain silent on this issue. We will use every possible channel to seek justice.”

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