KUALA LUMPUR: The Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) has hit out at Malaysia’s last-minute withdrawal from the CAFA Nations Cup.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) announced on Wednesday that Harimau Malaya would not be taking part in the tournament, citing scheduling issues as the competition falls outside FIFA’s official international window.
The timing means clubs are not obliged to release players, posing a major headache for the national team.
But CAFA weren’t impressed.
In a strongly worded statement, the regional body said Malaysia had confirmed their participation well in advance and had been fully aware of the tournament dates – from Aug 29-Sept 8 – which have remained unchanged.
“Unfortunately, this late withdrawal disrupts several organisational processes, especially as planning and preparations are already in their final stages,” CAFA said in a social media post.
“FAM stated their reason for pulling out was due to the tournament not being fully within the FIFA calendar, and therefore, player availability could be limited.
“However, under the competition rules, final squads – selected from a 35-man list – can be submitted on a match-by-match basis.
“This offers maximum flexibility, including the possibility of key players joining later in the tournament.”
Despite the setback, CAFA said: “We remain committed to delivering a high-quality, competitive tournament for Central Asia and beyond.
“We thank those nations who continue to support and cooperate with us.”
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
