Fifa Fines Fam Suspends 7 Players Over Falsified Documents

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FAM must pay a RM1.9 million fine, while the players will be suspended from all football-related activities for 12 months.
FIFA said FAM had submitted doctored documentation in eligibility enquiries to FIFA in order to field the players for Malaysia’s Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Vietnam on June 10. (AFP pic)PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven national players have been sanctioned by FIFA after the global football body today said FAM had submitted doctored documentation to field the players in an Asian Cup qualifier
The players involved are Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano, all of whom have been suspended from all football-related activities for 12 months effective immediately.
All seven featured in Malaysia’s Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Vietnam on June 10, after which FIFA received a complaint regarding the eligibility of several of them.
Following its investigation, FIFA’s disciplinary committee today said that FAM must pay a fine of CHF350,000 (RM1.9 million), while each of the seven players have been fined CHF2,000 (RM11,000) in addition to the 12-month suspension.
In a statement, FIFA said FAM and the seven players were sanctioned for breaching Article 22 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, which relates to forgery and falsification.
The disciplinary committee has referred the issue of the players’ eligibility to represent Malaysia to the FIFA Football Tribunal for further consideration.
The sanctions are also open to appeal before FIFA’s appeal committee.
In July, an Indonesian report claimed that Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam on June 10 may be overturned because some of Harimau Malaya’s naturalised players were purportedly ineligible to represent the nation.
The report alleged that the result would be voided and Vietnam would be awarded a 3-0 win.
FAM dismissed the report as baseless, saying it had complied with the necessary procedures for the registration of the players.
Nine of the team’s starting-11 in the game were naturalised players, with five of them – Figueiredo, Holgado, Irazabal, Garces and Machuca – receiving FIFA clearance just hours before kick-off. - FMT

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