CAS partly amends FIFA bans for seven Malaysia-eligible players but upholds FAM fine

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has partially upheld an appeal by seven players against FIFA over sanctions linked to “falsifying naturalisation and eligibility documents”, while dismissing a consolidated appeal by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).In an operative decision dated March 5, CAS confirmed that each of the seven players will serve a 12-month ban, but narrowed the scope of the sanction so it applies to official matches only rather than all football-related activities.CAS said: “The CAS Panel ruled that the seven players shall receive a ban for 12 months, but from official matches only and not from all football-related activities.”That adjustment means the players can train with their clubs during the ban, even though they remain ineligible to play official matches during the suspension period.CAS also confirmed that FAM’s appeal to reduce its punishment was unsuccessful and the federation’s fine remains unchanged.CAS said: “A consolidated appeal by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was dismissed and the decision by FIFA to impose a CHF 350’000 fine on FAM remains in place.”The case stems from FIFA disciplinary proceedings in 2025. CAS summarised that FAM had approached seven players – Facundo Tomás Garcés Rattaro, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano – to advise that they could seek Malaysian citizenship and represent the national team, and the players were subsequently naturalised and issued Malaysian passports.CAS said FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found on September 25, 2025 that FAM and the players violated the FIFA Disciplinary Code by using falsified documents “despite the players having no connection to Malaysia”, a decision that FIFA’s Appeal Committee upheld on November 3, 2025.Under FIFA’s appeal decision, FAM received a CHF350,000 fine, while each player was fined CHF2,000 and handed a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities.CAS found the underlying infraction proven and upheld the 12-month playing ban as proportionate, while applying Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code to limit the ban’s reach beyond matches.CAS said: “The CAS Panel found that the infraction of falsifying eligibility documents was established and that the 12-month ban from playing matches was a reasonable and proportionate sanction for the players… However, in accordance with Article 22 FDC, the Panel decided that the ban should only apply to matches and not to all football-related activities.”CAS added that the ban “starts today 5 March 2026”, with credit applied for the period from September 25, 2025 until January 26, 2026, “where the ban was effectively served”.The release said the decision is currently “operative (without grounds)”, with a full written CAS award to follow in due course.