Fifa’s ban on Malaysian players over documents ignites outrage and conspiracy rumours
Fans are questioning Fifa’s reversal of eligibility approval for seven naturalised players, suspecting complaints from Indonesia or Vietnam
Former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin expressed disbelief over the decision on Saturday, noting that Fifa had previously approved the eligibility of all seven players.
“Strange. Fifa had already approved their eligibility through the proper process,” Khairy said. “That means the documents were vetted, and due diligence was done.” He questioned why the decision had been reversed and who lodged the complaint against Malaysia.
While the Malaysian National Registration Department insisted all legal procedures were followed in granting citizenship, it conceded that “the original handwritten birth records could not be retrieved from historical archives”, a fact some argue provided a basis for Fifa’s ruling.