KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s football federation said on Tuesday it would go ahead with an appeal to the world’s top sports court, hours after FIFA released a damning report in an eligibility scandal that saw seven players banned.
The world governing body suspended the seven foreign-born players for a year and fined the FA of Malaysia (FAM) $440,000 in September for submitting false documents that said the players had Malaysian ancestry.
The FIFA appeals committee released its full findings on Monday, explaining why it had rejected an FAM appeal against the sanctions.
The report also ordered a full investigation into the FAM’s conduct and governance, accusing it of “not taking any discernible disciplinary action — no concrete suspensions, no dismissals, no referrals to domestic authorities”.
The report added: “This omission suggests a lack of accountability and raises serious concern about the governance culture within the organisation.
“Consequently, the committee instructs the secretariat to take immediate steps to launch a formal probe into the internal operations of the FAM.”
The FAM denied any deliberate wrongdoing and appealed to FIFA in October, before suspending its secretary-general and saying it would establish an independent committee to investigate.
The body’s acting president Yusoff Mahadi said “The FAM will initiate the process of bringing this case to CAS.
“This step is taken to ensure justice is upheld and to defend the integrity of the player eligibility process established by the Malaysian government and relevant bodies.
“FAM remains committed to fighting for the rights of all players eligible to represent the country and will ensure every action is taken professionally, transparently, and through the proper legal channels.”
FIFA launched the probe after receiving a complaint following Malaysia’s 4-0 win against Vietnam in an Asian Cup qualifier in which two of the seven players scored.
Its investigation showed none of Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca or Joao Brandao Figueiredo had a parent or grandparent born in Malaysia, a requirement for selection to a national team.
Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2025
