Football
Nicolas Anil 7y

Kelantan slammed by FIFPro over debt, could face more sanctions

Kelantan have been slammed by FIFPro for the second time in a month after the troubled Malaysia Super League (MSL) team continued to sign new players and ignore payment to a former import.

"This is shameful, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). One of the many players who have been cheated. The Professional Association Footballers Malaysia (PFAM) on the case," read a tweet from the world players' union.

Despite struggling for funds, Kelantan have secured the services of Lebanese striker Abou Bakr Al-Mel and French forward L'Imam Seydi to replace the departed Mohammad Ghaddar and Alessandro Celin.

FIFPro was responding to yet another exasperated tweet from former Kelantan defender Jon McKain, the decorated former Australia defender who has yet to receive several months' salary from the club.

"This is unbelievable. How KAFA allowed to continue signing players without paying old debts is disrespectful and wrong," lamented McKain via a tweet.

McKain, who represented Australia at the 2004 Olympics and 2011 Asian Cup, also criticised Kelantan earlier this month for announcing the arrival of Uruguay's Alfredo Carlos Gonzales as their new technical director.

The PFAM is now expected to look into the matter, along with FAM.

The PFAM has gained more leverage after recently signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with FAM, which saw it recognised as a player representative body, and collective bargaining entity in Malaysia.

The Red Warriors' tumultuous campaign began before the start of the season when they struggled to come up with the funds required to compete in the Malaysia Super League (MSL) after their sponsors abruptly ended a two-year deal in 2016.

On May 2, they were docked six points for failing to complete the necessary registration process to compete in the MSL.

Their advisor Tan Sri Annuar Musa criticised Malaysian officials in a Facebook post, saying that they favour richer teams over others. A club official added that Kelantan could pull out of the 2018 MSL. 

They could be penalised further points if they don't settle their debts with 34-year-old McKain, who has taken his case to FIFA.

The former A-League centre-back returned to his hometown of Brisbane, and is playing local club football, having announced his professional retirement.

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