The suspension that FAM forgot
When Fifa president Gianni Infantino visited Kuala Lumpur during the Asean Summit, Malaysia had a chance to show its football diplomacy at its best.
Instead, one appearance at a high-profile function drew quiet disbelief.
There, standing among senior officials, was FAM general secretary Noor Azman Rahman, the same man the association had suspended just two weeks earlier.
On October 17, FAM announced that Noor Azman was suspended “with immediate effect.”
It was to make sure he did not interfere with an independent inquiry into allegations that falsified documents had been sent to Fifa so seven naturalised players could represent Malaysia.
Such a suspension is not a punishment, but it does have clear boundaries.
The person steps aside completely. They don’t represent the organisation or appear at its official events until the investigation ends.
So when the suspended general secretary turned up at a function involving Infantino, it naturally raised eyebrows.
It blurred the…
