The greed to rely on foreign players for easy victories has shattered the hard work and genuine efforts of local talents.

The sports minister's statement is shocking, coming at a time when 'double standards and hypocrisy are clear for all to see', says Lawyers for Liberty.

A prominent lawyer meanwhile schools the home minister after the latter cites 'ministerial discretion'.

While these players obtained Malaysian citizenship with suspicious ease despite having no genuine ancestral link, stateless children born and raised on Malaysian soil continue to suffer from bureaucratic neglect.

Luis Rubiales has been defiant over the kiss – which has been condemned as unwanted by Jenni Hermoso, her teammates and the Spanish government – arguing it was consensual.

Having been awarded hosting rights, Argentina will also participate in Indonesia's place despite failing to qualify on merit.

Fierce rivals Persebaya and Arema FC last met in October 2022 when the match ended in a crush in which 135 people were killed.

Last month protesters marched in the capital Jakarta waving Indonesian and Palestinian flags, demanding that Israel should not be allowed to participate.

Fifa removed Indonesia's hosting rights over what a PSSI official said was a failure to honour its commitments to the tournament, following outrage among politicians in the Muslim nation about Israel's participation.

This comes after the country's football federation said it had cancelled the draw because the governor of Bali refused to host Israel's team.

Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, underlined Indonesia's support for Palestine and a two-state solution and said Israel's qualification was secured long after his country won hosting rights.

The country does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel and protesters have recently held marches in Jakarta, demanding Israel not be allowed to participate.