From Ibrahim M Ahmad
Whether or not it chooses to admit it, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is in deep trouble. This is the kind of trouble no press conference, however polished, can talk its way out of. (By the way, the last one bombed terribly!)
To put it plainly, FAM is staring at the distinct possibility of being on the wrong end of damaging legal action from the seven suspended players and the clubs they belong to.
On Monday, Fifa, the global football governing body, confirmed it was upholding the suspension of seven naturalised footballers for 12 months over the use of falsified documents to establish their eligibility to represent Malaysia.
The implications are grave.
Gabriel Arrocha (of Unionistas CF, in Spain; age: 23), Facundo Garces (Deportivo Alaves, Spain; 26), Rodrigo Holgado (America de Cali, Colombia; 30), and Imanol Machuca (Velez Sarsfield, Argentina; 25) were active professionals plying their trade abroad.
Their suspension has rendered them ineligible…