Malaysia Football Association explains the 'unusual' behavior

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) recently issued an official statement clarifying why the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) report was suddenly removed from its official website, a move that had caused doubt among the public and Malaysian football fans.

Previously, after completing the process of investigating the document forgery scandal, the IIC handed over the official report to the Acting FAM President, Datuk Wira Yusoff Mahadi. The report was personally delivered by IIC Chairman Tun Md. Raus Sharif, demonstrating efforts to ensure transparency and clarify the responsibilities of the involved parties.

On December 16, FAM posted the IIC report on its website. However, shortly afterward, the document was removed, sparking questions among the fan community. Many speculated that the removal might be related to legal pressure or behind-the-scenes considerations.

In response to these suspicions, Yusoff Mahadi spoke directly at a press conference to reassure the public and clarify the situation. He affirmed that the removal was not intended to conceal information or avoid responsibility.

“The IIC report is a public document. That is why we uploaded it that afternoon,” Yusoff Mahadi emphasized to the media. However, the FAM leader admitted that the association made a timing mistake. According to him, the report’s release coincided with a sensitive period during the preparation of legal documents, which led to the decision to temporarily take down the report.

“But we made an error in timing because on the same day, the 18th, was the deadline to submit documents to CAS,” he added. Yusoff Mahadi further explained the key reason that forced FAM to act swiftly to protect its legal interests. “Therefore, we removed the report to avoid interrupting our lawyers’ process of submitting documents to CAS.”

Accordingly, FAM is currently appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and any premature disclosure of details could harm the case. This is seen as a strategic decision rather than a negative one, contrary to many previous speculations.

Notably, Yusoff Mahadi also pledged that the IIC report will be republished soon. He stated that FAM is only waiting for approval from the legal team handling the case and the seven players involved.

Furthermore, FAM confirmed it will seriously implement all recommendations made by the IIC, including filing a police report regarding the document forgery scandal, a move that shows their determination to clarify the truth and restore order in Malaysian football.

With these public statements and clear commitments from FAM leadership, fans are awaiting the association’s next steps, especially the outcome of the CAS appeal and the re-release of the IIC report in the near future.