KUALA LUMPUR - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has partially upheld an appeal by seven players against the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) on sanctions for falsifying naturalisation and eligibility documents.
In an operative decision (without grounds) released today, the CAS Panel ruled that the seven players shall receive a ban for 12 months, but from official matches only and not from all football-related activities.
"After considering the evidence, the CAS Panel found that the infraction of falsifying eligibility documents was established and that the 12-month ban from playing matches was a reasonable and proportionate sanction for the players, given their complicit responsibility in this fraud,” it said.
However, in accordance with Article 22 FDC (FIFA Disciplinary Code), the panel decided that the ban should only apply to matches and not all football-related activities.
As such, it said the players can resume training with their respective clubs during the ban.
"The ban from playing matches starts today March 5, 2026, with credit for the period from Sept 25, 2025 until Jan 26, 2026 included, where the ban was effectively served,” it said.
In the meantime, the CAS Panel considered that the CHF 350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million) fine on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) concerning the aforementioned case was justified and proportionate.
Meanwhile, the CAS Panel informed that the FAM and the players filed consolidated appeals with CAS on December 5, 2025.
"In their appeal, the FAM accepted the existence of "institutional shortcomings" and did not dispute that it may bear responsibility in violating the FDC. It also stated that the players had a limited role in providing documents requested by FAM and did not prepare, nor alter them," it said.
It said the FAM appeal requested to set aside the decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee and that the FAM should be sanctioned with a fine not exceeding CHF 50,000 (about RM253,000).
"The appeals by the players requested to annul the FIFA Appeal Committee decision in its entirety, or in the alternative, issue a proportionate sanction, as the players did not act with intent or negligence," it said.
The appeals considered jointly by a CAS Arbitral Panel composed of Lars Hilliger (Denmark) as President, José Luis Andrade (Portugal) and Massimo Coccia (Italy) while an in-person hearing took place on Feb 26 at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"This is an operative decision (without grounds), with a full CAS Award to be issued in due course," it said.
Earlier in September, FIFA confirmed that FAM and the seven players - Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Manchuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel - were found to have breached Article 22 of the FDC for document falsification.
Investigations found that the FAM had submitted documents believed to be falsified to validate the eligibility of the players, allowing them to feature in Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam in a Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers here in June last year.
The FAM was then ordered to pay a fine of CHF350,000 (about RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (about RM11,000) and handed a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities.
Hopes of a reduction in the sanctions were dashed after FIFA's Appeal Committee on Nov 3 rejected appeals by the FAM and the players, thereby upholding the Disciplinary Committee's decision on the serious breach of Article 22 of the FDC.
However, on Jan 27, the FAM announced that CAS had granted the players' application for a stay of execution of the sanctions, allowing them to continue their careers and participate in football-related activities pending the final decision on the appeal. - BERNAMA