The international football governing body, FIFA, has unveiled its investigative reports concerning the Malaysian Football Association (FAM) and seven of its players, accusing them of widespread document falsification. The revelation confirms FIFA’s findings that FAM deliberately fabricated birth documents for these players, asserting Malaysian ancestry where none existed. In response, FAM has staunchly rejected these allegations and declared its intention to formally appeal FIFA’s decision through legal channels.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee presented compelling evidence from its investigation, leading to sanctions against FAM for incorporating foreign players into its national squad under false pretenses. The investigation revealed that Malaysia had systematically manipulated birth documents for seven players whom FAM had registered as Malaysian nationals. As a consequence, FIFA has imposed a substantial fine of over $400,000 on the Malaysian Football Association. Additionally, the seven players involved have each been banned from participating in any football-related activities for 12 months and fined $2,500.
The players implicated in this scandal include Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal, originally from Spain; Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, and Imanol Machuca, all hailing from Argentina; Joao Figueiredo, whose country of origin is Brazil; and Hector Hevel, a native of the Netherlands.
FIFA’s investigation, conducted by its secretariat committee, adhered strictly to Articles 30(1) and 35(5) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC). Investigators meticulously obtained the original birth certificates of the grandparents of the seven players under scrutiny. These authentic records were then cross-referenced with the documents FAM had submitted to FIFA during the registration process. The comparison starkly highlighted that the places of birth on FAM’s submitted documents had been fraudulently altered, appearing as if the players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia. In stark contrast, FIFA’s investigative documents confirmed that the grandparents of the seven players were, in fact, born in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands.
In its official response, FAM acknowledged receiving the comprehensive written judgment from FIFA regarding the suspension of the seven naturalized players for FDC violations. Despite FIFA’s findings, FAM publicly stated its dissatisfaction with the reports and announced its commitment to filing a formal appeal. The association emphasized its plan to pursue this appeal immediately through proper legal channels, backed by all supporting evidence. FAM asserted that FIFA’s conclusions, particularly the accusation that its players intentionally falsified documents or attempted to circumvent eligibility rules, lack sufficient proof. The Malaysian football body firmly stated, “FAM categorically asserts that there is no evidence whatsoever to support the claim that these documents are fraudulent, as alleged by FIFA. All documents and submissions related to player eligibility were prepared, verified, and managed entirely by FAM in accordance with legal procedures.” The association further maintained that the foreign-born players acted in good faith, relying solely on the verification and registration processes managed by FAM.
