FIFA has punished Malaysia by awarding three 3–0 defeats after ruling that the country fielded ineligible players in international matches, deepening an eligibility scandal that has rocked Malaysian football.
The sanctions overturn Malaysia’s friendly victories over Palestine and Singapore, as well as a home draw against Cape Verde earlier this year, according to a statement by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
The world football governing body had earlier suspended seven foreign-born players who featured for Malaysia after discovering forged documents that falsely claimed they had Malaysian ancestry.
Following a disciplinary committee meeting held on Friday, FIFA ruled that Malaysia would officially lose all three matches by a 3–0 margin. In addition to the sporting sanctions, the FAM has been fined a further $12,500, adding to a previous penalty of $440,000 already imposed on the federation.
FIFA’s investigation was launched after a complaint was filed over Malaysia’s 4–0 victory against Vietnam in a June Asian Cup qualifier, a match in which two of the suspended players scored.
According to FIFA, the investigation revealed that none of the seven players i.e 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 key requirement for eligibility to represent a national team.
Despite the ruling, the Football Association of Malaysia has denied any wrongdoing and announced plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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