01/02/2026

SPORTS 15 theSun on Sunday FEB 1, 2026

RESULTS & STANDINGS

Speedy Tigers will book ticket to World Cup: Subahan

LA LIGA: Espanyol 1 (Roberto 15) Alaves 2 (Blanco 27, Boye 71) . Top 3 P W D L F A Pts Barcelona 21 17 1 3 57 22 52 Real Madrid 21 16 3 2 45 17 51 Atleti 21 13 5 3 38 17 44 SERIE A: Lazio 3 (Pedro 56-pen, Taylor 62, Cataldi 90+10-pen) Genoa 2 (Malinovskyi 67-pen, Vitinha 75) . Top 3 P W D L F A Pts Inter Milan 22 17 1 4 50 19 52 AC Milan 22 13 8 1 35 17 47 Roma 22 14 1 7 27 13 43 BUNDESLIGA: Cologne 1 (Maina 29) Wolfsburg 0. Top 3 P W D L F A Pts Bayern 19 16 2 1 72 16 50 Dortmund 19 12 6 1 38 17 42 Hoffenheim 19 12 3 4 40 22 39 FRENCH LIGUE 1: Lens 1 (Aguilar 45+1) Le Havre 0. Top 3 P W D L F A Pts Lens 20 15 1 4 34 16 46 Paris SG 19 14 3 2 41 15 45 Marseille 19 12 2 5 44 20 38

the World Cup was in 2023 in which they finished in 13th place out of 15 teams. Commenting on the AGM yesterday, Subahan said the governing body planned to increase grassroots programmes, espe cially in Sabah and Sarawak, to unearth new talent in the states. “There are several things proposed by the states in terms of development and we will discuss with the National Hockey Development Programme (NHDP) under the National Sports Council to try more grassroots programmes. “This year we will also focus more on development programmes in Sabah and Sarawak because we see a lot of talent there,” he said. – Bernama

pray that they will give their best. I always think positively. “Sometimes it’s fate and destiny, we plan and God decides. But no matter what, I am confident that coach Sarjit and the players will give their best to qualify for the World Cup,” he said after the 21st MHC Annual General Meeting in Purtajaya yesterday. Malaysia have been drawn in Group B and will open the curtain against Austria on March 1, followed by Pakistan (March 2) before closing the final match against China (March 4) in Ismailia, Egypt. Malaysia are ranked highest in the group at 13th in the world, followed by Pakistan (14th), Austria (21st) and China (23rd). For the record, the last time Malaysia participated in

THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is optimistic that the national men’s hockey squad will be able to book a slot in the 2026 Men’s World Cup in the Netherlands this August. Its president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said national squad coach Sarjit Singh had prepared the Speedy Tigers squad to give a tough fight at the 2026 Men’s World Cup Qualifiers in Ismailia, Egypt from March 1-7. He said Speedy Tigers also showed determination, giving him the confidence to perform better than before. “God willing, I have never been more confident in the coach. They work hard and indeed coach Sarjit has his own plan. They have just returned from Australia and we

Prerequisite for success Modenising FAM’s governance a necessity, not an option

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9881 7725 2989 8278 0784

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4270 9437 8898 6616 8597

4903 4742 8386 1476 2171

AFC secretary general Windsor John leaves the press conference after the FAM executive committee resigned amid a forgery scandal, in Petaling Jaya, on Wednesday. – REUTERSPIC

RM10,394,963.92

THE crisis currently engulf ing the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and Malaysian football in gen eral, reveals a larger truth – the urgent need to reform the governing body’s governance in line with modern and pro fessional standards. More importantly, this reform must serve as the pri mary foundation for the duties and focus of the newly elected FAM Executive Committee (Exco) members. As global football evolves rapidly toward becoming more professional, transpar ent, and competitive, the need to overhaul FAM’s gov ernance according to modern benchmarks is not only justi fied but can no longer be delayed. An association today can not function behind closed doors, rely too heavily on old hierarchies, or operate with out clear benchmarks. Instead, it must be anchored by four key principles of modern governance: trans parency, accountability, pro fessionalism, and integrity. Without these four princi ples, any development plan will be fragile and unsustain able. Thus, the task of the new Exco is not merely to chant slogans of change but

sport’s credibility.

to ensure these principles are implemented consistently. A primary focus for the new Exco will be ensuring FAM becomes more open in its financial management, strategic planning, and deci sion-making processes. The rationale behind every major decision must be explained clearly and consis tently so that supporters, clubs, state associations, and sponsors feel involved rather than sidelined. In modern football, fans are not just spectators; they are part of an ecosystem that contributes to the industry’s survival while accountability and checks and balances must also be at the top of the incoming Exco’s priority list. This means strengthening independent committees – such as audit, governance, and integrity - appointing qualified professionals to monitor and evaluate leader ship performance, and ensur ing all major decisions pass through robust oversight channels. At the same time, the new FAM Exco must prioritise integrity and take responsi bility for ensuring firm action is taken against any conflicts of interest or mis conduct that damage the

forgery issue involving seven heritage players – change must begin with a restructur ing of the organisation’s sys tems, processes, and work culture. In the world of modern football, good governance is no longer an option; it is a prerequisite for success. Last Wednesday, all FAM Exco members for the 2025–2029 term collectively and volun tarily resigned with immedi ate effect as a principled and prudent step following the current situation, aiming to protect FAM’s integrity and prioritise organisational responsibility over personal interests. Following this, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will assist FAM in con ducting an internal assess ment based on international modern football association benchmarks before the report is presented to stake holders, particularly the FAM Congress. The fate of FAM and the seven national heritage play ers regarding Fifa’s penalties for violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code will be determined after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) delivers its decision at the end of February. – Bernama

8596 + 5321 5321 + 8596 3379 + 8596

8596 + 3379 5321 + 3379 3379 + 5321

Decisions in football must be made based on the inter ests of the sport and national development, not to fulfill personal agendas or specific groups. Additionally, the new Exco needs to uphold an inclusive approach to policy-making by involving clubs, state asso ciations, players, coaches, and fans to ensure FAM remains connected to the realities on the pitch and at the grassroots level. Ultimately, the new lead ership must lead efforts to draft and implement a solid, consistent long-term strategic plan that does not depend on whoever happens to be in power at a given time. A development roadmap for the next 10 to 15 years – backed by clear benchmarks and focused on grassroots development, the profes sional league, and the national team – must serve as the guide. Today’s crisis should be viewed as an opportunity for comprehensive reform, not just a cosmetic restructuring. If the new FAM Exco intends to restore public con fidence and rehabilitate the dignity of national football – tarnished by the document

RM168,039.41

6 7 131415182431

12 27

RM11,551,763.03

RM208,538.81

9 6 2 1 7 9 96217

62179

9621

2179

962

179

96

79

21

15

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