Indonesian media surprised as FIFA has yet to issue a ruling on Malaysia

As reported by CNN Indonesia, Indonesian media were taken aback that FIFA still has not released a verdict on the appeal submitted by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) concerning the falsification of naturalization paperwork for players.

According to CNN Indonesia, the media in the archipelago showed astonishment that FIFA has not finalized its ruling on the appeal by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) concerning the sanctions imposed on seven naturalized players of the national team.

Previously, FIFA was expected to announce the outcome on Thursday, October 30, as confirmed by Serge Vittoz, the lawyer hired by FAM to handle the case. However, by the evening, FIFA had not made any official statement, despite Malaysian media believing the decision would be released at 7 PM, then postponed to 11 PM Malaysia time.

Scoop Malaysia cited sources stating that FIFA’s Appeals Committee requires more time to reassess the evidence and consider possible adjustments to the penalties. Some documents submitted by FAM during the appeal process reportedly contain inconsistencies, forcing FIFA to conduct further verification and cross-checking.

A source told Scoop: “The Appeals Committee is approaching the case with extreme caution due to its scale and impact. There are certain details in the files that need cross-verification. Although the final decision may favor one side, the likelihood of FAM being completely acquitted is very low.”

The seven naturalized Malaysian players—Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Arrocha, and Hector Hevel—are banned from all football activities for one year due to allegations that FAM falsified nationality documents to qualify them for the national team.

Another insider source from FIFA revealed that the organization wants to ensure a transparent and fair process, avoiding administrative errors, as this case could influence global regulations on naturalized players.

If unhappy with the result, FAM can further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Meanwhile, the case continues to put significant pressure on Malaysian football, especially after Argentine media discovered that Facundo Garces’s grandfather’s birth certificate shows he was born in Santa Fe, Argentina, not Malaysia as FAM had declared.