We need to put pressure on the AFC!

Many people are wondering whether the Vietnam Football Federation needs to exert significant pressure in the face of an incident that directly affects the interests of the national team.

Following rulings from FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the responsibility for handling the consequences of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches rests with the AFC. However, to date, the continent's football governing body has yet to issue a final ruling.

We must put pressure on the AFC! - Image 1.

Seven foreign-born players, allegedly naturalized as Malaysian citizens through improper procedures, have been sanctioned by FIFA and CAS, but the AFC has yet to announce the disciplinary action against the Malaysian Football Association and the Malaysian national team for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. (Photo: AF - NST)

Notably, AFC Secretary General Windsor John recently stated that the matter "is not over yet because FIFA is still investigating who is behind Malaysia's naturalization scandal."

This statement has raised questions among many experts. In the sports legal system, investigating individual responsibility and addressing the consequences of competition are two separate processes.

If the AFC continues to wait for a conclusion regarding the individuals behind the scandal, the process of handling the matches could drag on for months, even after the qualifiers are over. In this scenario, the team that would benefit most clearly would be the Malaysian national team.

Therefore, many fans in the region are expressing their frustration and questioning: Is this delay creating an advantage for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)?

In international football, a familiar principle is that the affected federation must proactively protect its interests. A prime example is the naturalization scandal involving the Timor-Leste national football team.

Between 2012 and 2015, Timor-Leste used many Brazilian-born players who were granted citizenship illegally to compete internationally. The matter was discovered after the Palestinian Football Association filed a complaint with FIFA.

Subsequently, the Macau Football Association (China) also submitted a similar petition. These complaints forced the AFC to launch a large-scale investigation. As a result, Timor-Leste was banned from naturalizing players for an extended period, many matches were forfeited, and the officials involved were banned from participating in football activities.

Without formal complaints from the affected federations, the case might not have been investigated to the end.

In Europe and South America, protecting legal rights is even considered part of the competition strategy. A notable example is what happened during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in South America.

After discovering that the Bolivian national team had used Nelson Cabrera, a player deemed ineligible to play in the World Cup qualifiers, the Chilean and Paraguayan football federations immediately filed complaints with FIFA. As a result, Bolivia was handed a 0-3 defeat in the matches involved, significantly altering the group standings.

This incident is often cited as a prime example showing that in modern football, the battle takes place not only on the pitch but also in the legal chambers of the federations.

With the Malaysian case still pending a final ruling, the question isn't just how the AFC will handle it. More importantly, what preparations has the Vietnam Football Federation made for all possible scenarios?

If the final ruling is in accordance with the regulations, the dispute can be closed. However, if the penalty does not fully reflect the consequences of using an ineligible player, the VFF has the right to appeal to FIFA or continue the litigation at CAS.

That's the second option that many federations around the world always prepare. Not to create conflict, but to ensure that the rights of the national team are not overlooked in a lengthy legal process.

In modern football, fairness doesn't just come from the rules; it also depends on whether the federations dare to be assertive and proactive in protecting their own interests!

Source: https://nld.com.vn/phai-gay-suc-ep-len-afc-196260314194648647.htm