Malaysia to Appeal FIFA Sanctions

Malaysia’s Football Association (FAM) is preparing to appeal sanctions imposed by FIFA after the world governing body accused it of falsifying citizenship documents to make seven foreign-born players eligible for the national team.

FIFA announced late last month that it had fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs (about $438,000) and suspended the seven players involved for one year, citing “doctored documentation.” The disciplinary committee’s full report, released on Monday, elaborated on those findings, alleging that the federation forged birth certificates to show the players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia.

The report described the act as “pure and simple, a form of cheating.”

According to FIFA, the original documents obtained by investigators revealed that the players’ grandparents were actually born in the same countries as the players themselves, Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain, contradicting the papers submitted by FAM.

The players named in the investigation include Spanish-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, Argentina’s Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca, the Netherlands’ Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano, and Brazil’s Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.

FIFA said that by presenting falsified records, the Malaysian federation had violated the governing body’s “grandfather rule,” which permits players to represent a country if one of their parents or grandparents was born there. The regulation is designed to prevent national teams from simply importing talent from abroad.

FAM, however, has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the discrepancies were caused by an “administrative error” and insisting that all seven players are “legitimate Malaysian citizens.”

The federation said it will file a formal appeal using government-certified original documents. “FAM will be presenting an official appeal regarding this conclusion, and remain committed to defending the integrity of national football based on facts and authentic documents,” the statement continued.

The Asian Football Confederation has said it will review the findings once FIFA’s disciplinary process is complete, meaning Malaysia could face further repercussions.

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