Malaysian football team 'benefits' from naturalized players disciplined by FIFA

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that Johor Darul Ta'zim club will not be affected by any penalties, and the issue of players being deemed ineligible by FIFA only pertains to the Malaysian national team.

Therefore, Johor Darul Ta'zim's participation in Asian and regional competitions remains entirely unaffected.

AFC stated that they have conducted their own review of the case without waiting for the complete documentation from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

AFC General Secretary Windsor John said: "We have received the full case file from FIFA. The disciplinary committee has begun working with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)."

Among the seven naturalized players suspended by FIFA for 12 months due to falsifying documents related to eligibility for the national team, three are currently playing for Johor Darul Ta'zim: João Figueiredo, Héctor Hevel, Jon Irazabal.

Windsor John emphasized that AFC's role is limited to matters of eligibility for the national team.

"Regarding eligibility issues, we can handle them but only apply to national team matches.

Clubs participating in AFC competitions are completely unaffected, as eligibility regulations only apply to the national team."

This clarification is particularly important for Malaysian clubs, including Johor Darul Ta'zim, as they are competing in: AFC Champions League Elite, and the ASEAN Club Championship organized by the ASEAN Football Federation.

Windsor concluded: "There is no violation of regulations. Eligibility regulations only apply to the national team, while at the club level in AFC competitions, there are no nationality criteria for playing."

Meanwhile, Malaysian national team head coach Peter Cklamovski expressed excitement after Johor Darul Ta'zim secured a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite quarterfinals.

The 47-year-old coach believes that Johor Darul Ta'zim's achievement is a significant success not only for the club itself but for the entire Malaysian football landscape.

Johor Darul Ta'zim earned their quarterfinal ticket after defeating top Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima with an aggregate score of 3-2 over two matches in the round of 16 held yesterday, March 11.

This victory allows Malaysia's sole representative to continue their journey in this season's premier Asian club-level competition.

Cklamovski, who watched the match unfold, also shared his excitement through a social media post.

According to him, Johor Darul Ta'zim's win is the result of the team's relentless effort across both knockout stage matches.

"An outstanding result for Johor Darul Ta'zim! A fully deserved achievement after the two round of 16 matches. Congratulations to everyone!

This is a major accomplishment for Malaysian football," he wrote on Instagram Story immediately after the match ended.

This success also places Johor Darul Ta'zim alongside other clubs that have advanced to the quarterfinals. Among the teams that have progressed are Buriram United, Machida Zelvia, and Vissel Kobe.

All teams are now awaiting results from West Asian representatives to determine their opponents in the next round.

Johor Darul Ta'zim's performance once again proves that Malaysian clubs are capable of competing with the major forces of Asian football in the continent's highest club-level arena.