7 naturalized players could lose Malaysian citizenship following document fraud scandal, lawyer warns

By Hoang An February 6, 2026 | 11:34 pm PT

Joao Figueireido (number 14), Rodrigo Holgado (19) and Hector Hevel (13), three of the seven Malaysian players sanctioned by FIFA, play in the 4-0 victory against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Hai Tu

Seven naturalized Malaysian footballers face the risk of losing their citizenship as the Court of Arbitration for Sport prepares to issue a final ruling on their eligibility later this month.

"Will Malaysia take drastic action like Timor Leste, revoking the players' passports, if their appeal at CAS fails?" commercial and sports lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli wrote on social media. "That scenario is possible because Timor Leste’s case shows that authorities are willing to take extreme measures when they discover violations related to documents and citizenship."

Timor-Leste previously stripped nine players of their citizenship after the national team was expelled from the 2023 Asian Cup for using forged birth certificates.

Nik Erman contends that the case of Malaysia mirrors this precedent, noting that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has already admitted to the errors. This admission, he argues, significantly reduces the likelihood of overturning the sanctions at CAS.

"This issue touches upon the principle of the law and the integrity of nationality," Nik Erman stated. "If the players don't meet the bloodline requirements or criteria stipulated in the constitution, granting them citizenship is highly questionable."

Nik Erman, who served on the FAM council from September 2023 to August 2025, has frequently analyzed the association's legal strategy against FIFA. He has previously asserted that FAM is at a distinctive disadvantage and possesses a negligible chance of success in the upcoming CAS proceedings, according to Sinar Harian.

He further questioned the executive power exercised in granting these naturalizations. Even if special ministerial powers were invoked to approve the citizenships, the accuracy of those decisions remains under suspicion. According to Nik Erman, the alleged falsification of documents introduces potential criminal elements to the case.

The controversy stems from a FIFA investigation, which concluded that FAM and seven players, allegedly of Malaysian descent, violated the FIFA Disciplinary Code, a section specifically addressing document forgery. The inquiry found FAM responsible for submitting fraudulent documentation to substantiate the eligibility of the naturalized athletes.

Consequently, FIFA issued a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (US$451,000) against FAM.

The individual players, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel, were each fined 2,000 Swiss francs and handed 12-month bans from all football-related activities. They were recently cleared to play temporarily by CAS pending the final verdict.

Representatives from FAM and FIFA are scheduled to appear before the court in Switzerland on Feb. 26, with a final decision expected shortly after that.