FIFA releases detailed evidence to sanction Malaysia over foreign players' forged documents

Rodrigo Holgado (number 19) and Joao Figueireido (number 14) in Malaysia's 4-0 win over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia on June 10, 2025. Photo by Malaysia NT

FIFA's Disciplinary Committee (FDC) had imposed a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,192) on FAM on Sept. 26, while the seven players -- Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal (Spanish origin), Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca (Argentine), Joao Figueiredo (Brazilian) and Hector Hevel (Dutch) -- were each fined 2,000 Swiss francs and suspended from all football activities for 12 months, causing widespread controversy in world football.

FAM had 10 days to request a detailed disciplinary report with the basis for the sanctions, which they did.

FDC published a 19-page document on Monday night outlining the incident's development, the views of the penalized side, the legal basis from FIFA and the final ruling.

The document detailed specific evidence of the falsification of documents, with the major issue revolving around the birth certificates of the players' grandparents. Previously, FAM sent FIFA the birth certificates which confirmed that the players' grandparents were born in Malaysia, a crucial factor for players to become naturalized based on their bloodline.

However, FIFA later found out that the real birth certificates proved otherwise, that the grandparents were actually born in Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain.

This discrepancy raised questions about the legitimacy of the naturalization process.

FAM's application to FIFA to confirm the eligibility of the players was submitted in stages, beginning in March 2025 with Hevel, followed by Palmero. In June, the documentation for the remaining five players was also submitted. FIFA initially approved the their eligibility to play for Malaysia, but the sentence "appears to be eligible" suggested that FIFA's approval was based on the documentation provided, with FAM being held accountable should further violations come to light.

A day after all the seven players were featured in Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam at the ASEAN Cup qualifiers on June 10, 2025, FIFA received a complaint questioning their eligibility.

The complainant believes that the naturalization process and international debut of these players "took place within a questionable timeframe, raising significant questions about the validity of this process."

After investigation, FDC's report revealed significant inconsistencies between the documents submitted by FAM and the original ones. On Aug. 22 and 28, a disciplinary subcommittee was established and notified via the FIFA Legal Portal to the defendant. FDC gave FAM and seven players until Sept. 22 to present their views.

Center-back Facundo Garces, who plays for Deportivo Alaves in La Liga, plays in Malaysia's 4-0 win over Vietnam in the second round of Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia on June 10, 2025. Photo by Malaysia NT

According to FIFA, FAM argued that "competent Malaysian authorities were presented with the applications concerning the players, with the relevant documents and an official file of each player was opened by the Malaysian government."

"Neither FAM nor the players were ever aware of the circumstance that some of the documents submitted might have been falsified. Neither FAM nor the players ever played any role in the preparation of the documents that are now alleged to be false. The conduct of FAM and the players was correct and devoid of any intent or fault," FAM said, according to the report.

However, FDC emphasized the importance of the documents' authenticity. FIFA's investigation also revealed that the National Registration Department of Malaysia (NRD) did not receive the original birth certificates. Instead, NRD had issued copies based on secondary sources and was unable to retrieve the original handwritten documents. This admission raised doubts about the thoroughness and reliability of the verification process.

In response, FAM argued that the players' naturalization was conducted in good faith, in line with Malaysian law, and that any potential violations were unintentional. FAM also insisted that the alleged falsification had no significant impact on the outcome of the matches and should only warrant minor penalties. FAM requested that the investigation be closed and the accusations dismissed.

However, FDC rejected this argument, stressing that the falsification and use of fraudulent documents had serious consequences. FDC emphasized that the integrity of international football and fair play was compromised, especially as the players involved had participated in the win over Vietnam, with two of the players scoring.

FIFA referred to past cases involving document falsification, such as the case of Equatorial Guinea player Camila Maria and Moroccan club Chabab Mrirt in 2016 and 2024. These precedents were used to justify the penalties imposed on FAM and the players.

The 19-page disciplinary report sets the stage for FAM and the players to appeal the decision. FAM now has until Oct. 9 to notify FIFA of their intent to appeal. The appeal must be submitted within five days, along with a fee of 1,000 Swiss francs.

If FAM is dissatisfied with the appeal's outcome, they have 10 days to request a detailed report, which would allow them to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days. CAS typically processes appeals when both the plaintiff and defendant agree to go to court.

Once the appeal process concludes, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which oversees the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup, will review the case and make further decisions based on FIFA's ruling. If the allegations are upheld, Malaysia could face disqualification from the tournament or lose points for matches in which ineligible players were featured.

 

 

FIFA releases detailed evidence to sanction Malaysia over foreign players' forged documents

Malaysia 4-0 Việt Nam