Kuala lumpur: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has filed an official appeal with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) regarding the disciplinary decision related to the documentation issue involving the eligibility of seven national players.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, FAM acting president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi stated that the association acted swiftly after receiving FIFA's full judgment on October 7, with its legal team completing all the necessary documents ahead of the submission deadline. The preparation of the appeal was done carefully to avoid any complications at the next stage. He expressed hope for a positive outcome, emphasizing that the appeal process involved thorough and detailed preparations.
Last month, FAM and seven naturalised players-Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel-were penalised by FIFA's Disciplinary Committee after being found guilty of violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) related to document falsification. FIFA stated that FAM had submitted falsified documents to confirm the eligibility of the players, allowing them to compete in a match of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10.
As a result, FAM was fined CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (about RM10,560) and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities, effective from the date of notification of the decision. FAM had previously identified a technical error in the submission process involving the players' documents, made by an administrative staff member.
Furthermore, FAM has not ruled out the possibility of taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the appeal at the FIFA level does not yield a favorable outcome. In a separate development, Mohd Yusoff mentioned that the Disciplinary Committee would determine the next steps regarding national head coach Peter Cklamovski's recent remarks, which were critical of the governing body. He stated that he personally accepted the Australian coach's apology but stressed that FAM is bound by statutes that must be respected.