FIFA has accused Malaysia of falsifying citizenship documents to make seven foreign-born players eligible for the national team, in what it described as a deliberate act of deception.
The world football governing body revealed its findings in a report released on Monday, following its decision in late September to fine and suspend the players involved.
According to FIFA, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) forged birth certificates to falsely show that the players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia. The organisation said this “constitutes, pure and simple, a form of cheating.”
FAM, however, rejected the accusation, insisting the discrepancies were the result of an “administrative error” and vowed to appeal FIFA’s decision. It maintained that the players were “legitimate Malaysian citizens.”
Under FIFA’s “grandfather rule,” players born outside a country may represent it if their biological parents or grandparents were born there, a policy designed to prevent nations from simply naturalising foreign players to enhance team performance.
The investigation began after Malaysia’s 4–0 victory over Vietnam in June, when questions arose over several players’ eligibility.
In September, FIFA’s disciplinary committee suspended the seven players for one year and fined each 2,000 Swiss francs ($2,500; £1,870). The FAM was also fined 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,000; £330,000).
The seven players named in the report include Spanish-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui; Argentinian-born Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca; Netherlands-born Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano; and Brazilian-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.
FIFA said its investigators obtained the original birth certificates of the players’ grandparents, which showed that they were actually born in countries like Argentina and Spain matching the players’ own birthplaces, rather than Malaysian cities such as Penang and Malacca as claimed in the documents submitted by FAM.
Malaysia’s Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said FIFA’s findings had damaged the country’s reputation. “I also understand that all local football fans are naturally angry, disappointed and want to see improvements,” she told a news conference on Tuesday, according to state news agency Bernama.
Yeoh added that the ministry would await the outcome of FAM’s appeal before issuing an official response.
Malaysia will face Laos in an Asian Cup qualifier this week, but the team will be without the seven suspended players, leaving its lineup significantly weakened.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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