FIFA releases testimony from 7 naturalized Malaysian players.
A 63-page FIFA document reveals that seven naturalized players all followed instructions from their agents; FIFA asserts that its integrity was compromised, rejects appeals, and expands the investigation.
FIFA has released a 63-page document revealing the testimony of seven former Malaysian national team players in the investigation into the falsification of citizenship documents. All of them assert that they only submitted their applications as instructed by their representatives and did not directly participate in or understand the process. FIFA emphasized that the use of invalid documents seriously undermined the integrity and transparency of international football and rejected all appeals from the FAM and the players.
Key statements: the common denominator is the representative.
The testimonies reveal a common pattern: complete reliance on a representative for the preparation and submission of documents. Below is a summary of the key points for each individual:
| Player | Key points in the testimony |
|---|---|
| Gabriel Palmero Arrocha | Initially mistakenly believing her grandmother was born in Spain, later corrected to Malaysia; admitted not to carefully checking the documents provided by her father and representative. |
| Facundo Garces | The opportunity to play for Malaysia came from agent Federico Raspanti; his family's true origins have not been verified. |
| Rodrigo Holgado | He sees playing for Malaysia as "a career opportunity". |
| Imanol Machuca | I submitted the application as instructed by my representative, unaware of any irregularities. |
| Joao Figueiredo Brandão | Similarly: follow the agent's instructions, without checking the details. |
| Jon Irazabal | The Johor Darul Ta'zim player completely trusted his agent, failing to verify the authenticity of the documents despite having signed a confirmation of blood relationship with a Malaysian national. |
| Hector Hevel | The Johor Darul Ta'zim player stated that he was only following instructions and signed the documents confirming his blood relationship with Malaysia. |
FIFA's position and legal developments.
FIFA asserted that although the players did not directly participate in the forgery, the use of invalid documents had "seriously damaged the integrity of football." This was the basis for the Appeals Committee's rejection of the entire appeal by FAM and the players.
The agency requested an expanded investigation into the FAM Secretary General, along with two FIFA-licensed agents, Nicolás Puppo and Frederico Moraes. FIFA also announced it would cooperate with authorities in Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia, as the forgery of documents could constitute a criminal offense.
Impact and next steps
New developments have pushed the case into a deeper legal phase, focusing on the roles of individuals and organizations involved in the application process. The Football Association of Malaysia has confirmed it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport following FIFA's ruling on the case of seven players falsifying naturalization documents.
The current focus is on three points: FIFA's decision to reject the appeal, the request to expand the investigation to include related parties, and coordination with authorities in multiple countries. Further developments will depend on the progress of the investigation and the appeal process as announced by FAM.
