The Football Federation of Malaysia (FAM) has officially announced its intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), following a definitive rejection from FIFA regarding its previous appeal. The case centers on sanctions imposed on the federation itself and seven Malaysian players implicated in a naturalization fraud scandal.
Datuk Yusoff Mahadi, the Acting President of the FAM, confirmed that the federation is prepared to utilize this final avenue to challenge FIFA’s ruling. This commitment to pursuing the case at CAS was announced just minutes after FIFA publicly affirmed its decision to reject FAM’s initial appeal concerning the forgery of documents, which enabled seven foreign players to illicitly obtain Malaysian nationality.
Mahadi expressed surprise at FIFA’s unwavering stance. “This marks the first instance the FAM has encountered such a complex problem. Our legal team and the federal leadership were genuinely surprised by FIFA’s decision,” he stated. Despite this, he reaffirmed the FAM’s dedication: “However, FAM will continue to stand by our players and defend the interests of Malaysian football on the international stage. After receiving the rejection from FIFA, we are resolute in our decision to file a lawsuit with CAS to further pursue this issue.”
The seven players at the heart of the controversy, who have been suspended by FIFA, include Spaniards Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal, Argentinians Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, and Imanol Machuca, Brazilian Joao Figueiredo, and Dutch-descended player Hector Hevel. Each player has been issued a fine of $2,000 and is prohibited from engaging in any football-related activities for a period of one year. The Football Federation of Malaysia itself faces a substantial fine of $400,000.
These seven players were controversially named by Malaysia for a match against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers held last June. Following a 4-0 defeat, the Vietnamese side expressed dissatisfaction and suspicion regarding the eligibility of Malaysia’s players, subsequently filing a formal complaint with FIFA. A thorough investigation by FIFA later uncovered compelling evidence that these seven athletes lacked any genuine lineage to a Malaysian grandfather, thus invalidating their naturalization process.
The severe penalties handed down by FIFA not only impact the federation financially but also threaten the careers of the involved players, potentially affecting their prospects at a European level. Despite the confirmed fraud, Malaysia has consistently advocated for a reduction in the fines and a lessening of the players’ suspensions, striving to safeguard the careers of those involved in the nationality scheme.
