FAM’s AFC award shortlist puts governance questions in focus

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has been shortlisted for the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Member Association of the Year (Gold) award, even as questions persist over governance and accountability in Malaysian football. The winner will be announced at the AFC awards ceremony in Bangkok on Nov 19.

FAM is nominated alongside the FA of Hong Kong, China Limited, and the All India Football Federation. The nomination does not establish that the AFC overlooked governance concerns, but it has prompted questions about how the award measures an association’s work against the way it is run.

How the award is assessed

AFC general secretary Windsor John said associations submit reports on their activities and programmes. A selection panel awards points for areas including grassroots development, youth competitions and hosting, then shortlists three associations in each category.

Asked how governance and accountability affect the assessment, Windsor said associations could score highly in some areas, moderately in others and receive no score elsewhere. His explanation did not specify how much weight governance carries or whether strong programme delivery can offset institutional weaknesses.

Those questions have particular force for FAM. Fifa sanctions in a player eligibility case have drawn attention to the association’s controls and oversight, while concerns have also been raised about its electoral process.

The Football Association of Selangor objected to the eligibility of the electoral committee chairman ahead of FAM’s extraordinary congress in September. Windsor also raised the concern. FAM’s electoral code, endorsed at its June 4 congress, requires the committee’s chairperson and deputy chairperson to be qualified to practise law, yet the September congress proceeded amid questions about whether that requirement had been met.

Audit findings and youth development

An AFC audit provides another reason for scrutiny. Only part of the report was presented at an extraordinary congress in June, and critics have called for its full release.

Prepared by AFC deputy secretary-general Vahid Kardany, the report identified weaknesses in governance, accountability and organisational management. It found that FAM’s administrative structure lacked formal executive committee approval and highlighted decision-making concentrated around certain individuals, alongside weaknesses in retaining institutional knowledge.

Youth development also remains under examination. Malaysia’s U-23, U-19 and U-16 teams have struggled to remain competitive in Asean and reach the Asian stage, while questions persist about the outcomes of the National Football Development Programme, which was designed to produce a technically superior generation by 2025. FAM has taken on a greater role in the programme’s technical implementation.

What comes next

The Nov 19 announcement will settle the award, but not the questions surrounding it. The AFC has an opportunity to clarify how its criteria weigh institutional accountability, while FAM faces calls to address concerns about its elections, release the full audit findings and demonstrate progress in youth development.