THE Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld a 12-month suspension against seven footballers implicated in a document falsification case involving their eligibility to represent Malaysia, casting doubt over whether they will ever return to the national team.
The decision means the players remain barred from participating in official matches for one year, although they are still permitted to train and take part in football activities with their respective clubs.
Asian Football Confederation secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John said the ruling effectively means the players are unlikely to play for Malaysia even after the suspension period expires.
“So far, after the 12-month period, the seven players may not be able to play for the Harimau Malaya squad according to the decision set by the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Windsor told Arena Metro.
The case centres on allegations that the players used falsified documents in order to qualify to represent Malaysia at international level, triggering disciplinary action and scrutiny over eligibility procedures.
According to Windsor, any further action will be referred to the Asian Football Confederation’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, which will determine whether any additional sanctions should be imposed on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) or the players involved.
“All further actions will be referred to the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee to determine any additional punishment against FAM or the players involved,” he said.
The seven players named in the case are Hector Hevel, Imanol Machuca, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Gabriel Palmero.
Their eligibility had been widely questioned after it emerged that documentation submitted to support their representation of Malaysia was allegedly falsified.
Sports and commercial lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli previously said the players would still not qualify to represent Malaysia even after completing their suspensions because they do not have Malaysian ancestry.
“These players can only represent Malaysia if they stay here for five years through a full naturalisation process,” he said.
Under FIFA regulations, foreign players without ancestral ties must reside in a country for at least five years before becoming eligible through full naturalisation.
Despite the controversy, Windsor indicated that the AFC itself may not impose additional suspensions beyond the sanctions already confirmed by CAS. - March 7, 2026
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