Footballers in Malaysia eligibility scandal are ‘victims’, ban unfair, says union

Global footballers’ union FIFPro says that seven players embroiled in a Malaysian national team eligibility scandal are themselves victims and their 12-month bans “grossly disproportionate”.

Malaysia’s federation, FAM, has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after football’s world governing body Fifa banned the players and fined FAM US$440,000 in September for submitting false documents that said the foreign-born players had Malaysian ancestry.

The players were also fined 2,000 Swiss francs (US$2,500) each.

Fifa launched an investigation after receiving a complaint following Malaysia’s 4-0 win against Vietnam in June in an Asian Cup qualifier in which two of the seven players scored.

Its investigation showed none of 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 requirement for selection to a national team.

Fifa said the documents submitted by Malaysia had been forged and described the misconduct as an attack on the sport’s integrity.