KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan Red Warrior FC (KRW) president Nik Hafiz Naim Nik Hassan has stepped down from his post amid scrutiny from FIFA.
His announcement today, came days after KRW submitted an explanation to FIFA to refute claims that the club are a continuation of the now-defunct Kelantan FC, who have been banned by the world body from registering new players due to unpaid salaries.
In his resignation statement, Nik Hafiz thanked those who supported the formation of KRW, including legendary coach Irfan Bakti, who came out of retirement for the club.
The issue here is will KRW inherit the liabilities of its predecessors, Kelantan FC? FIFA is now investigating KRW, looking at things like shared names, team colours, management and ownership.
KRW, who compete in the A1 Semi-Pro League, bear similarities to Kelantan FC, including the nickname “Red Warriors” and the state’s red-and-white colours. But Nik Hafiz has insisted that these elements belong to the people of Kelantan, not any particular club.
In his statement, Nik Hafiz thanked the Gerakan Selamatkan Kelantan movement for standing by him in founding KRW after the collapse of Kelantan FC.
Nik Hafiz, a former director of Kelantan FC, had earlier clarified that he resigned from his role before founding KRW, saying there is no operational or legal link between the two clubs.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
