FAM Receives FIFA's Written Judgment, Will Lodge Immediate Appeal

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has confirmed receiving the full written judgment from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) regarding the decision to suspend seven heritage players for allegedly violating its disciplinary code.

In a statement today, FAM announced that it will now formally lodge an appeal through the proper legal channels, as all supporting evidence is complete and ready for immediate submission to FIFA.

FAM stated that it takes particular issue with several of the conclusions drawn by FIFA, especially the allegation that the players obtained falsified documents or deliberately attempted to circumvent eligibility rules.

“FAM firmly asserts that there is no evidence to support the claim that these documents were forged, as alleged by FIFA. All documentation and submissions concerning the players' eligibility were prepared, verified, and managed entirely by FAM in accordance with the established procedures.

“At all times, the players acted in good faith, relying wholly on the verification and registration processes administered by FAM,” the statement read. 

FAM reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the interests of Malaysian football, protecting the rights of its players, and ensuring all processes are conducted transparently and in accordance with the regulations.

“We will exhaust all available legal channels to fight this case. The association also wishes to emphasise that this case involves official information regarding the Government of Malaysia's procedures for the issuance and verification of passports.

“In line with the Official Secrets Act 1972 and the Passport Act 1966, any unauthorised disclosure of these materials or processes is strictly prohibited.

“FAM is therefore legally bound to maintain the confidentiality of these specific elements,” the statement continued.

It added that FAM will only share the relevant information needed for the purposes of the FIFA  proceedings.

Last month, FAM and seven heritage players were sanctioned by FIFA's Disciplinary Committee after being found to have violated Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in relation to the falsification of documents.

In its statement, FIFA alleged that FAM had submitted falsified documents to verify the players' eligibility, which subsequently allowed them to feature in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10.

The seven sanctioned players are Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.

As a result, FAM has been fined CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player has been individually fined CHF2,000 (approximately RM 10,560) and handed a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities, effective from the decision’s date of notification.

-- BERNAMA