The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued a significant ruling, opting to suspend the sanctions previously imposed by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) on seven foreign players. This pivotal decision effectively clears the path for these athletes to immediately resume their professional football careers, thereby bringing a resolution to a prolonged dispute centered on the alleged falsification of Malaysian citizenship documents.
This controversy originated from an extensive investigation conducted by FIFA, which ultimately led to severe penalties against both the Malaysian Football Federation (FAM) and the players in question. FIFA’s inquiry revealed that FAM was deemed responsible for falsifying the birth records of the seven players, concluding that none of them possessed direct familial ties, such as parents or grandparents, born within Malaysia. Consequently, FIFA imposed a substantial financial penalty of over $400,000 on FAM. In addition to the federation’s fine, each of the seven players was handed a 12-month ban from all football-related activities, alongside a personal financial penalty of $2,500.
Following FIFA’s initial ruling, the Malaysian Football Federation took prompt action, formally filing an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8, 2025. This appeal was initiated to contest the severity and legitimacy of the imposed sanctions. During the comprehensive CAS review process, arguments and evidence were presented by various parties, including representatives from FAM, FIFA, and the legal teams advocating on behalf of the seven players.
On January 26, 2026, the CAS court officially announced its decision to suspend the one-year ban that FIFA had previously placed on the players. This crucial verdict grants all seven individuals the immediate right to return to their normal professional football careers without further impediment. According to an announcement from FAM, the players are now fully permitted to engage in any football activity and are at liberty to train with and seek new clubs, while awaiting any potential subsequent decisions on the ongoing appeal at the CAS court.
The players central to this high-profile case are Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal, both from Spain; Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, and Imanol Machuca, all representing Argentina; Joao Figueiredo of Brazil; and Hector Hevel, who is a native of the Netherlands.
