Fifa Heritage Players Grandparents Not Born In Malaysia As Claimed

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The seven “heritage” footballers granted Malaysian citizenship don't have any grandparents born in the country as claimed, the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa) asserted.
In the grounds of its ruling to sanction the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the seven players, Fifa revealed it had acquired the original birth documents of the seven's "Malaysian-born" grandparents, which contradicted the allegedly doctored documents submitted by the Malaysian side.
It also cast doubt on the National Registration Department (NRD) verification of the players’ supposed Malaysian heritage.
In the grounds of its ruling, Fifa alleged that the FAM had submitted documents claiming the following ancestry for said players:
ADSGabriel Felipe Arrocha - grandparent born in Malacca
Facundo Tomás Garcés - grandparent born in Penang
Rodrigo Julián Holgado - grandparent born in Penang
Imanol Javier Machuca - grandparent born in Penang
João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo - grandparent born in Johor
Jon Irazábal Iraurgui - grandparent born in Sarawak
Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano - grandparent born in Malacca
However, based on original documents, Fifa's own investigators found as follows:
Gabriel Felipe Arrocha - grandparent born in Spain
Facundo Tomás Garcés - grandparent born in Argentina
Rodrigo Julián Holgado - grandparent born in Argentina
ADSImanol Javier Machuca - grandparent born in Argentina
João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo - grandparent born in Brazil
Jon Irazábal Iraurgui - grandparent born in Spain
Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano - grandparent born in the Netherlands.
No original birth certs
The FAM had, in response to Fifa's probe, submitted a statement from NRD director-general Badrul Hisham Alias, saying that the department had conducted cross-verification to confirm the players' lineage through their grandparents.
The Fifa disciplinary committee, however, noted that the NRD statement stated it never received the original birth certificates, and instead issued new birth certificates based on secondary information and foreign documents from Argentina, Brazil and Spain.
"The NRD further admitted that it could not retrieve the original handwritten records and therefore issued official copies based on evidence that a birth had occurred.
"This admission, so finds the committee, indicates that the Malaysian government's validation process may not have been based on original documents, which calls into question the thoroughness of FAM's verification process," it said.
FAM maintains position
In a statement responding to Fifa's bombshell, FAM maintained its position, rejecting that documents were doctored.
It contends that Fifa did not provide any evidence to support its forgery claims.
FAM further said it was tied by the Official Secrets Act and the Passport Act from publicly revealing any of its evidence supporting its own claims.
"FAM is bound by law to maintain secrecy regarding these elements. As such, FAM will only share the relevant information with Fifa for the purposes of this case," it said.
The football association also said it would be filing a formal appeal against the Fifa ruling.
FAM had previously brushed off the Fifa sanctions as a result of a "technical error".
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had asserted that the citizenship process for the players adhered to the law.
The sanctions from Fifa entailed a RM1.9 million fine against Fifa, and RM15,900 fines against each of the seven footballers.
The players were also slapped with a 12-month suspension.
- Mkini

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