The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has denied allegations by some quarters that there was no effort to ensure that England -based teenager Jaami Qureshi was given the opportunity to represent the country.
Instead FAM, through its General Secretariat, communicated directly with the player’s father, Perviz Qureshi, as well as Brighton & Hove Albion Academy Manager, John Morling, in discussing the call to the training center for the national Under -19 squad ahead of the supposed AFC Under -19 Asian Championships held in Uzbekistan in 2020.
Perviz Qureshi also had a meeting with former FAM Secretary General, Stuart Ramalingam, in discussing the status of his son in 2020.
Through a thread of communication between FAM and Qureshi around July 2020, the player’s father wanted Jaami to be given the privilege of citizenship status without having to go through a technical evaluation process from coach Brad Maloney at the time.
At the same time, US -based Wan Ahmad Kuzri Ahmad Kamal complied with the quarantine process after expressing readiness to return home to train with the Under -19 squad and was assessed in terms of technical skills in an effort to convince the coaching panel that he was eligible for consideration.
As the parent body of national football, FAM will not compromise in complying with government rules, guidelines and laws regarding the COVID-19-related quarantine process as well as citizenship status for any individual of all ages of the national team.
Sequence of Events Communication Thread with Brighton and Perviz Qureshi:
June 30, 2020-An email between FAM and Brighton & Hove Albion Academy Manager John Morling requesting an Under-19 team training program ahead of the AFC Under-19 Asian Championships in Uzbekistan in October.
July 2, 2020 – FAM requests a video clip of the Qureshi game.
July 7, 2020 – FAM receives a video clip of Qureshi’s action from Brighton Academy Performance Analysts.
July 10, 2020-The country’s Under-19 team training program was shared with Qureshi’s father, Perviz Qureshi who also suggested that Qureshi leave the United Kingdom on July 15-17 to meet the mandatory quarantine requirements for 14 days and an application to process identification documents according to the Registration Department’s requirements. Country and Malaysian Immigration Department. FAM also sought assurances from his father that Qureshi would be committed to wearing the Malaysian jersey if both England and Malaysia qualified for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Indonesia.
July 10, 2020 – His father Perviz expressed reluctance to allow Jaami to return home due to the long quarantine period but suggested that FAM start the process of documenting his son’s citizenship. At the same time he was reluctant to allow FAM to send technical staff to assess Jaami’s capabilities.
July 14, 2020 – FAM states three important things to be finalized:
(i) Jaami must be physically present to fulfill the application process for citizenship documentation including identity card and passport
(ii) Commitment that Jaami chooses Malaysian and not English citizenship
(iii) Jaami has to go through the selection test process from a technical point of view like Wan Kuzri
July 24, 2020-Brad Maloney decides not to list Jaami due to no agreement reached between the two parties on the technical assessment of the player and the commitment that he choose Malaysia and not England if both countries qualify for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Indonesia.
September 10, 2020 – AFC announces AFC Under -19 Asian Championships postponed to March 2021
January 25, 2021 – The AFC announces the tournament is canceled and Uzbekistan hosts the 2023 edition
It is clear that despite FAM’s allegations of not taking any action, the General Secretariat took the initiative in relation to the Qureshi family in 2020 but due to various factors, efforts to make Jaami a Malaysian were not achieved. As Jaami is now choosing Iraqi citizenship, we wish him well.
Mohd Saifuddin Abu Bakar
Secretary General of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)
