Malaysia’s football team has been dealt a significant blow as FIFA overturned the results of three friendly matches, handing them 3-0 defeats against Cape Verde, Singapore, and Palestine. The decision comes amid a widening document forgery scandal involving seven foreign-born players who were found to be ineligible to play for Malaysia.
The players, including Facundo Garces, Gabriel Arrocha, and Rodrigo Holgado, were suspended for 12 months and fined by FIFA after it was discovered that they used forged documents to secure Malaysian citizenship. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has been fined 10,000 Swiss francs and plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The scandal has sparked outrage in Malaysia, with fans and lawmakers calling for action against FAM and government agencies involved in granting citizenship. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has vowed full transparency in domestic probes, while FAM has acknowledged “technical errors” in the document submission process.
