FAM not broken but needs major governance, statute and electoral reforms, says AFC's Windsor John

PETALING JAYA: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John has stressed that the turmoil within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) should not be seen as a broken institution, but as an opportunity to strengthen governance in one of Asia's oldest football bodies.

This follows the unprecedented resignation of FAM's entire executive committee earlier today, four months after the national body and seven players were sanctioned by Fifa over the doctored documentation scandal.

"I want to reiterate that not everything is wrong with FAM," John said.

"This is a 100-year-old organisation, and it would not have survived for a century if everything was flawed. It is a solid organisation. Our objective is to identify where the gaps are and where the weaknesses may lie."

FAM will mark its 100th anniversary on Sept 11, 2026.

FAM acting president Datuk Yusoff Mahadi announced earlier today that the executive committee would step down with immediate effect.

AFC will now assist in running the association alongside FAM general secretary Datuk Noor Azman Rahman and treasurer Datuk Ismail Karim. AFC deputy general secretary Vahid Kardany will lead a management team for the next three months, after which its findings and recommendations will be tabled at FAM's Congress for approval.

John said the intervention was aimed at reform, not condemnation.

"What we are doing now is ensuring that FAM emerges stronger, better governed and better prepared for the future of Malaysian football," he said.

"FAM has invited us to assist, to help them prepare a report outlining what needs to be improved before the elections.

"The election timeline will still have to be followed, as those are statutory obligations. That is not the issue at the moment."

Rather than presenting FAM's Congress with "just another line-up of election candidates", John said the priority should be governance reforms that allow future office bearers to function more effectively.

"These are the matters that should be addressed before elections are called, because we believe that stronger governance, clearer regulations and improved statutes will enable newly elected office bearers to carry out their duties more effectively once they are in place," he said.

John added that the AFC's involvement would include a comprehensive review of FAM's statutes, electoral processes and organisational structures.

"When we say that we are reviewing all timelines, we are also reviewing the current statutes. We are looking at the electoral process itself and asking whether the timelines make sense. In short, we are examining everything," he said.

He likened the process to a medical diagnosis.

"If you ask how long this will take, we are still only at the first step. It is like going to a doctor. You must undergo tests first. Only after diagnosing the problem can the correct treatment be identified."

John emphasised that neither the AFC nor the interim management team could impose changes unilaterally.

"We can only propose them to FAM's Congress. Ultimately, it is the Congress that decides on changes to statutes, regulations and signing authority," he said.

As part of the reforms, John highlighted governance best practices already adopted by the AFC and Fifa, such as limiting the role of elected officials in legal and operational matters.

"At the AFC, the president does not sign legal documents. These are best practices in modern football associations," he said, adding that the AFC would assess whether similar structural changes – including separation of powers, committee mandates and staff roles – should be introduced at FAM.

The review will also extend beyond governance to areas such as marketing, branding and institutional image, including elements as small as the FAM logo and as broad as the organisation's overall identity.

On Sept 26, 2025, Fifa fined FAM CHF 350,000 and imposed suspensions on seven players for breaches relating to forgery and falsification. As FAM's independent investigation committee could not conclusively determine responsibility, FAM lodged a police report in December to identify those involved in the fiasco.

Police have since identified two suspects linked to the falsified documents. FAM is still awaiting a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport following its appeal against Fifa's sanctions over the saga.