KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) must accept FIFA’s decision in the heritage player forgery case “with full awareness and humility” instead of letting pride and denial prolong the controversy, said sports analyst Datuk Pekan Ramli.
Speaking to Scoop, Pekan said that FIFA’s Appeal Committee decision to uphold the Disciplinary Committee’s earlier verdict should serve as a reality check rather than a trigger for defiance.
“The first and most dignified step for FAM now is to accept the decision wholeheartedly and acknowledge that mistakes were made.
“The more FAM refuses to accept reality, the more public backlash they will face from Malaysian football fans,” Pekan said when contacted.
He added that it was time for the association to act with maturity and restraint, instead of letting emotions and ego dictate its next move.
“If FAM continues to deny wrongdoing and paint itself as a victim of FIFA, it will only make things worse. The burden of this issue lies on FAM, not outsiders,” he said.
Despite widespread criticism, FAM appears poised to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as its last resort. While Pekan acknowledged that FAM had every right to do so, he questioned whether such a move would be worthwhile.
“We can’t stop FAM from appealing to CAS because that’s within their rights. But the chances of overturning FIFA’s decision are very slim, especially since the case involves document forgery — a serious offence under any judicial body,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pekan added that pursuing the case at CAS would be costly, though he believed third parties might help fund the appeal. Still, he cautioned that while CAS may not impose additional sanctions, the move could strain relations between FAM and FIFA.
On a personal note, Pekan said that he would prefer FAM think long and hard before dragging the matter to CAS, suggesting that an appeal should only focus on the fate of the seven suspended heritage players rather than attempting to clear FAM’s name entirely.
“If the appeal is done purely to protect the players’ future, then fine,” he said.
“But if it’s an attempt to overturn the punishment, it’s pointless and a waste of time and money. It’s better for FAM to move on so the football community can heal and learn from this.”
Pekan said: “Jangan kerana nila setitik, habis susu sebelanga” – don’t let one drop of ink spoil the entire pot of milk.
“The faster we accept this setback, the sooner Malaysian football can recover from it,” he said. – November 6, 2025