28/09/2025

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Harimau Malaya crippled National football players banned after using forged documents to play qualifier against Vietnam

DEPORTIVO ALAVES’S Facundo Garces was among seven players banned for a year by Fifa on Friday after the football governing body found that doctored documentation had been used so that they could play in an Asian Cup qualifier for Malaysia against Vietnam. Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee said the seven players – Garces, Gabriel Arrocha (Unionistas de Salamanca), Rodrigo Holgado (America de Cali), Imanol Machuca (Velez Sarsfield), Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel (all from Johor Darul Ta’zim) – were sanctioned with a 12-month suspen sion from all football-related activities. Fifa said the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had submitted eligibility enquiries to global football’s governing body and used doctored documentation to be able to field the seven players, breaching Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code that is concerned with forgery and falsification. FAM said yesterday it would appeal the ban, saying Fifa had previously reviewed the players’ qualifications and provided official confirmation that they were eligible to play for Malaysia. “In relation to this decision, FAM will appeal the decision and will use all avail able legal channels and procedures to ensure that the interests of the players and the Malaysian national team are

fied of Fifa’s decision, which bans Holgado from all football-related activi ties. “The Legal Department of America de Cali will be in permanent contact with the Football Association of Malaysia to follow the development of this process,” it said. In the meantime, Spanish club Unionistas de Salamanca CF, in a state ment, had confirmed the suspension of Arrocha. It said the club is gathering all infor mation related to the case in order to asses the appropriate actions. “The player will remain out of the club’s sporting activities until further official communication,” it said. Meanwhile, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed it is awaiting the final decision of the Football Tribunal under Fifa on sanctions handed to FAM and the seven heritage players. This development was shared by AFC general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John in a brief response to Bernama yes terday. “We are waiting for the final decision from the Football Tribunal (of Fifa),” he said. Malaysia currently top their 2027 Asia Cup qualifying group with six points from two matches, pending any further Fifa sanctions. – Bernama/AFP

Alaves, which sit 10th in LaLiga. Fifa also ordered FAM to pay a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.85 million) while the players have been fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM10,587) each. “Further, the matter of the players’ eligibil ity to play for the representative team

always protected,” it said in a statement. “FAM would like to emphasise that the players involved, and FAM itself have acted in good faith and with full transparency throughout this process.” FAM main tained that docu mentation and

procedures were managed transpar ently and along Fifa guidelines. “In fact, Fifa has previ ously reviewed the quali fications of the players and

of Malaysia has been referred by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee to the Fifa Football Tribunal for consideration,”

Fifa added. Harimau Malaya heritage player Holgado will appeal against the 12-month suspension imposed on him by Fifa. His Colombian club America de Cali confirmed in a statement yesterday that Holgado and FAM will file the corre sponding appeals provided for under the Fifa Disciplinary Code, with the aim of having the sanction reviewed by compe tent authorities. The statement said the club was noti

provided official confirmation that they are eligible to play for Malaysia,” FAM said. All seven players had played in Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup quali fiers on June 10, after which Fifa received a complaint regarding the eligibility of several players. Figueiredo and Holgado had both scored in Malaysia’s victory. Garces has played in every game this season for

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