FIFA accuses Malaysia FA for using ‘doctored documentation’ to field ineligible players

FIFA accused the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) of falsifying citizenship documents on Monday for seven foreign-born players who represent the national team. Earlier this year, the FIFA disciplinary committee imposed sanctions on the seven players and the football federation after the governing body found that those players played in the Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam last June after using “doctored documentation.” 

The seven soccer players who were handed a 12-month suspension from all sporting activities are Spanish-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, Argentinian-born Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca, Netherlands-born Hector Hevel and Brazilian-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo. On Sept. 26, FIFA said in a statement that FAM breached article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code concerning forgery and falsification.

According to FIFA, the Malaysian association altered the birth certificates of the seven players to make it appear that their grandparents were born in the country.

FIFA’s “grandfather rule” allows foreign-born players to represent the country where their parents or grandparents were born. 

FIFA investigators, who obtained the grandparents’ original birth certificates, stated that the documents revealed the opposite, showing the grandparents were born in countries such as Spain, Argentina, or Brazil, just like the players themselves, according to the BBC. FAM said it was an “administrative error” and that they would appeal to FIFA, but they will also be forced to pay $440,000, while the players, on top of the suspension, will pay a fine of $2,500. Malaysia will face Laos in the Asian Cup qualifier later this week, but it will be a much different roster as those seven players are no longer available.