KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (BN24) — FIFA has handed down year-long bans to seven Malaysian national team players and fined the country’s football governing body after uncovering the use of forged documents in an Asia Cup qualifier, the global football body announced Friday.
The disciplinary committee of world football’s governing body revealed that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) manipulated player documentation to field ineligible players during Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam in a June qualifier match. Following a formal complaint about player eligibility, FIFA launched an investigation that led to the discovery of falsified documents.
As a result, Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano have each been fined 2,000 Swiss francs and banned from all football-related activities for 12 months. In addition to the individual player sanctions, the FAM has been fined 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,000) for its role in the misconduct.
The FAM responded swiftly, stating it will appeal FIFA’s ruling. In a statement issued from Kuala Lumpur, the association emphasized that both the players and the federation acted “in good faith and with full transparency” throughout the process. FAM added that it would “use all available legal channels and procedures to ensure that the interests of the players and the Malaysian national team are always protected.”
The FAM further asserted that the players’ eligibility had previously been reviewed and confirmed by FIFA. It reiterated that all documentation and procedural handling had followed the appropriate guidelines set forth by the sport’s governing body.
Malaysia currently leads its 2027 Asia Cup qualifying group with six points from two matches. The status of that standing may be affected by any further disciplinary decisions by FIFA in the wake of this ongoing controversy.
