'Powerful' Prince: Vietnam Football Federation is not 'complainant' of Malaysia

Regarding the case of FIFA sanctioning the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for fraudulent naturalization, Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim recently affirmed that the person filing the lawsuit to FIFA is not from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).

Malaysia was sued right after the victory over Vietnam in the Asian Cup qualifiers - Photo archive

According to the sharing from Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim of Malaysia in a recent press conference, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) itself confirmed to him that the person suing FAM is from Vietnam, but not from VFF.

"I was informed about this by the AFC. After we beat Vietnam, a complaint was filed with FIFA - but I don't know who filed it.

When I asked the AFC, they said that the information did not come from the VFF. It came from someone in Vietnam, but not from the Football Federation. Until now, we still do not know who complained," Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim shared.

Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim is a very powerful figure in Malaysian football. He owns the country's strongest club, Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), and is said to be the main sponsor of the country's naturalization strategy.

A week ago, FAM Vice President Datuk S. Sivasundaram announced that a Vietnamese person had filed a complaint about the naturalization of Malaysian players with FIFA.

Immediately afterwards, FAM corrected that this information was uncertain.

His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim - Photo: MALAYMAIL

There has been much controversy over the reasons for the FIFA investigation into Malaysia. Initially, the Malaysian media suspected that they were being sued by Indonesia, leading the President of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Mr. Erick Thohir, to later clarify that they were not involved.

After that, the Malaysian press continued to assume that Vietnam had filed a complaint. And they also claimed that they were "played dirty" because there was a Vietnamese person on the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.

But on the other hand, based on FIFA's rules to ensure fairness, people from the country involved in the case will not be allowed to participate in the investigation process.

FAM is currently appealing the case to FIFA's Appeal Committee, and a final decision could be made before October 30.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hoang-than-quyen-luc-lien-doan-bong-da-viet-nam-khong-phai-la-nguoi-khieu-nai-malaysia-2025102521575718.htm