00:00FAM has finally broken its silence over suspended General Secretary Noor Azman Rahman's appearance
00:07at a FIFA event, but its explanation raises more questions than answers.
00:12In a statement, FAM said the photo of Noor Azman with FIFA President Gianni Infantino
00:18and FAM Honorary President Hamidin Amin was taken outside any official event.
00:24It also claimed Noor Azman was there only in a personal capacity.
00:28It may sound tidy on paper, but it avoids the real issue.
00:32Why was a suspended official anywhere near the FIFA President during a high-profile ceremony
00:37witnessed by the Prime Minister?
00:40Noor Azman was suspended with immediate effect only nine days earlier as the National Football
00:45Association opened an investigation into the falsification of player documents, which saw
00:50FIFA slap FAM with a RM1.8 million fine and ban seven players.
00:56Yet on October 26, Noor Azman was seen entering the plenary hall at Kuala Lumpur Convention
01:01Center for the ASEAN FIFA memorandum signing, a closed-door event with police screening guests
01:07and media passes tightly controlled.
01:09He was also seated in the second row among other officials.
01:13So if he attended privately, how did he get clearance?
01:17And why didn't FAM officials act to prevent an obvious breach of optics?
01:21His presence was also captured in a video published by Infantino on Instagram.
01:26FAM insists it wasn't an official encounter, but the optics overpower its disclaimers.
01:32A suspension is meant to preserve integrity and public confidence.
01:36Poor enforcement and selective discipline only betrays public trust.
01:40Ironically, at that same ceremony, Infantino spoke about strengthening integrity in ASEAN
01:45football.
01:46The scene in Kuala Lumpur, unfortunately, told a different story.
01:50FAM hopes this explanation will clear confusion, but there is no confusion, only contradiction.
01:57For the full story, read Frankie DeCruza's column, Who Let The Suspended Man In, only on FMT.
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