Malaysian fans demand harsh action against seven illegally naturalized stars

After the most recent verdict from CAS, the Malaysian public has surprisingly erupted with stringent demands aimed at the group of naturalized players caught in controversy.

The new ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) concerning Malaysia's seven naturalized players has officially concluded the months-long appeal process. The body decided to partially reduce the penalties for the players but upheld the key disciplinary measures previously imposed by FIFA.

According to the final decision, the seven players—Facundo Garces, Gabriel Arrocha, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel—must still serve a 12-month suspension. However, Stadium Astro reported that the notable point is the strong wave of reaction from Malaysian supporters, with many opinions stating the case has not been thoroughly resolved, and simultaneously fans in the country are pressuring authorities to revoke the citizenship of the involved players and clarify the origins of the allegedly fraudulent documents.

Previously, the initial penalty from FIFA banned the players from all football activities. But after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reviewed the appeal, the disciplinary measure was adjusted. Accordingly, the players are still allowed to train and participate in club activities but are barred from any official matches during their suspension period.

This means they will be unable to compete in national championships, domestic cups, or any friendly matches on FIFA's calendar. Additionally, international competitions such as qualifying rounds or finals of major tournaments are also beyond this group's reach while the penalty remains in effect.

Following the CAS ruling, attention is now turning to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which will decide the next steps concerning the Malaysian national team. Concurrently, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) must also consider measures regarding the four players among them who are playing for domestic clubs.

This scandal has led many to recall an incident that once shook Southeast Asia in 2017, when the Timor-Leste national team was found to have falsified the birth certificates of nine Brazilian-born players to legitimize their eligibility for international competition.

At that time, the Asian Football Confederation annulled the results of 29 matches involving Timor-Leste and awarded victories to their opponents. Furthermore, the then Secretary-General of the Timor-Leste Football Federation, Amandio de Araujo Sarmento, was suspended from football activities for three years for direct involvement in the document forgery. Subsequently, the AFC excluded Timor-Leste from the 2017 Asian Cup campaign, and also banned them from participating in the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Timor-Leste government even took stronger measures by revoking the passports of the nine involved players and banning them from entering the country. The players were also prohibited from registering to play as Timor-Leste citizens in any subsequent football competitions.

Given this precedent, many opinions suggest Malaysian football could very well face similar consequences if regulatory bodies continue to investigate deeper into the controversial document scandal.