Deportivo Alaves, a prominent club in Spain’s La Liga, has officially removed defender Facundo Garces from its squad list. This decision comes after the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) imposed a one-year ban on the 26-year-old player from all football activities. The ban stems from Garces’s involvement in a scandal concerning the falsification of documents related to his acquisition of Malaysian nationality.
Garces, who is of Argentinian origin, is one of seven players who have faced disciplinary action from FIFA. The global football governing body initiated an investigation into alleged document fraud, ultimately discovering irrefutable evidence. According to FIFA’s findings, these seven players did not possess legitimate grounds to represent the Malaysian national team, as their claims of Malaysian ancestry – a crucial criterion for naturalization under Malaysia’s lineage-based citizenship laws – were proven false. FIFA’s investigation revealed that the grandparents of these players were not, in fact, of Malaysian origin, directly contradicting the basis of their nationality applications.
The controversy escalated following a match where Malaysia defeated Vietnam 4-0 in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, specifically in Group F, which prompted the initial scrutiny. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has been in ongoing dispute with FIFA since the issue first emerged. In addition to the player bans, FIFA also penalized FAM with a fine exceeding $400,000 for their role in the affair, while each of the seven implicated players received an individual fine of $2,500.
Reports from Spanish newspaper AS indicate that Deportivo Alaves has swiftly acted by removing Garces from their roster for the ongoing La Liga season. The club, currently positioned tenth in the Spanish top flight, is also reportedly considering the premature termination of the 26-year-old’s contract. Prior to FIFA’s sanction, Garces had been a regular presence for Alaves. However, his contentious appearance for the Malaysian team on July 10 ultimately led to the severe repercussions that have now impacted his career.
The one-year suspension is expected to significantly affect Garces’s match fitness and overall performance, potentially jeopardizing his prospects in European football. Furthermore, the FIFA ban is likely to prevent him from ever playing for the Malaysian national team, even after his suspension concludes. The other players sanctioned by FIFA include Spanish-born Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal; Argentinians Rodrigo Holgado and Imanol Machuca; Brazilian Joao Figueiredo; and Dutch-born Hector Hevel.
