CAS Partially Upholds FIFA Sanctions on Malaysian FA, Players

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has partially upheld sanctions imposed by FIFA on seven foreign-born players and the Football Association of Malaysia for using falsified documents to enable the athletes to represent the national team, a decision announced on March 6 that bars the players from official matches for 12 months while allowing them to train with their clubs.

The ruling stems from an investigation into Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam in a June 2024 Asian Cup qualifier, where the seven players participated after obtaining Malaysian citizenship through what FIFA determined were doctored eligibility papers. None of the athletes had a parent or grandparent born in Malaysia, a key requirement under FIFA's nationality rules for switching allegiance. The players, originally from Argentina, Spain, Brazil, and the Netherlands, included João Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal, and Hector Hevel from Johor Darul Ta'zim, as well as Gabriel Palmero from Kuching City FC, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, and Imanol Machuca.

FIFA's Disciplinary Committee initially suspended the players for 12 months from all football-related activities in September 2024 and fined each 2,000 Swiss francs,...