KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 18): The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) has ordered a formal investigation into the internal operations of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in upholding sanctions imposed on FAM and seven foreign-born Harimau Malaya players for forgery and falsification.
The Appeal Committee, in its motivated decision published on its site on Nov 17, 2025, also directed the Fifa Disciplinary Committee to notify criminal authorities in Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, and Spain of the offences.
“Forgery constitutes a criminal offence in these jurisdictions, and it is imperative that the relevant authorities are informed so that appropriate criminal investigations and proceedings may be pursued,” it said.
The Appeal Committee found that FAM submitted altered birth certificates, changing the players’ grandparents’ birthplaces to Malaysia - to meet Fifa's "grandfather rule" for national team eligibility. Original records from Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands showed otherwise.
"The Appealed Decision underscores that these falsifications were not incidental but constituted a deliberate mechanism to circumvent eligibility rules," the Appeal Committee said in its decision.
The investigation into FAM will focus on:
- Identifying individuals responsible for falsifying official documents
- Assessing the adequacy of FAM’s compliance and governance systems
- Determining whether further disciplinary action against FAM officials is warranted
It said priority will be given to scrutinising the roles of suspended FAM secretary general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman and Fifa-licensed agents Nicolás Puppo and Frederico Moraes, whose involvement raises serious concerns.
The committee has also ordered a separate investigation into the use of ineligible players in three friendly matches to determine how they participated and whether additional sanctions are needed.
The Appeal Committee in its 63-page decision said FAM has yet to demonstrate meaningful remedial action.
It said FAM has not publicly identified those responsible for the document tampering, imposed any credible internal sanctions beyond a symbolic suspension, or initiated structural reforms. This lack of accountability and transparency falls short of Fifa’s governance standards.
The case stems from violations of Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, relating to forgery and falsification. Fifa found that FAM and the seven players, with no genuine ties to Malaysia, manipulated naturalisation and eligibility processes using falsified documents to represent the national team. Both FAM and the players were sanctioned.
FAM has been ordered to pay a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.9 million), while each player has been fined 2,000 Swiss francs. The seven players - Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel - have also been handed a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities.
In a separate statement posted on its website, FAM acting president Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said with the receipt of Fifa Appeal Committee's reasoning behind its decision, it will bring its appeal over the sanctions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It said the step is taken to ensure justice is upheld and to protect the integrity of the player eligibility process established by the Malaysian government and relevant authorities.