AFC audit reveals FAM's 'failures' in governance and management

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) faces substantial criticism following an audit by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which highlighted numerous shortcomings in its governance, accountability, and overall management. The findings were presented to delegates at an Extraordinary Congress of FAM by AFC Deputy Secretary General Vahid Kardany.

The audit concluded that FAM's problems are systemic, stemming from recurring failures throughout nearly its entire organizational structure. Issues related to governance, accountability, and institutional design were identified as hindering the association's operational effectiveness.

According to the AFC's assessment, most departments within FAM operate at Stage 2 or Pre-Mid level, scoring between 1.2 and 1.8 on a five-stage maturity scale. These evaluated areas included Governance and Legal, Administration and Logistics, Finance and Risk Management, Infrastructure and Facilities, and Competitions, Clubs, and Event Management. Only the Communications and Media department reached Stage 3 with a score of 2.0, making it the sole unit to surpass the performance of other departments.