Does tainted FAM deserve an award?

KUALA LUMPUR: Sports critic Zakaria Rahim is asking a question that many football fans are asking — how did the FA of Malaysia (FAM) get shortlisted for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Association of the Year 2026 Gold category award after all the controversies?

"How can an association facing such governance troubles, as highlighted during the EGM (last month) be among the three potential award recipients?" Zakaria asked.

As things stand, questions over transparency at FAM have intensified amid the delays in releasing details of the AFC audit and the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) "reasoned grounds" on the case of the seven suspended heritage players.

A CAS offcial told Timesport last month that the full arbitral award was expected before the end of last month. However, till now it is yet to be made known publicly.

Meanwhile, the full report of the AFC audit remains undisclosed. Earlier this year, the Asian body carried out a four-month governance and financial audit of FAM following the naturalised players scandal which led to sanctions by FIFA against FAM.

AFC general-secretary Datuk Seri Windsor Paul said in March: "We will certainly present some findings to the public. We want to be transparent. However, the full report will first go to FAM, and it will then decide if it wants to make the full findings available."

Windsor also said last month that the complete document would be presented to FAM's new executive committee.

The preliminary findings presented by AFC deputy general-secretary Vahid Kardany during FAM's Extraordinary Congress showed serious structural weaknesses.

"What we are seeing is a chronic condition across the organisation. The problems are not confined to one area but are recurring across the entire structure, pointing to systemic weaknesses in governance, accountability and institutional design," Vahid reportedly said in June.

He also noted that formal governance structures had not been rigorously enforced, resulting in informal concentrations of authority and a culture in which staff hesitated to raise concerns.

Zakaria warned that withholding the CAS report and full AFC audit could deepen public mistrust in FAM.

"As far as I remember, when CAS issued the operative award, it indicated that the full judgment would follow.

"I am of the view that if the full judgment is made public, more uncomfortable details will emerge. I hope the FAM Integrity Committee proves me wrong by publishing the judgment," said Zakaria.

Timesport has contacted FAM for clarification, but has yet to receive a response.