Malaysia faces the risk of increased sentence when appealing to CAS.
FIFA rejected all appeals on the evening of November 3rd. FAM has 10 days to request a detailed decision and 21 days to submit it to CAS; appeals can reduce, maintain, or increase the sentence, and the AFC awaits the ruling.
On the evening of November 3rd, the FIFA Appeals Committee rejected all appeals from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven naturalized players. FAM affirmed that it will continue to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the scenario at CAS is not just about mitigation: the penalty could be upheld, or even aggravated if the evidence is unfavorable.
FIFA rejects appeal, Malaysia chooses CAS
According to FIFA's announcement, FAM and the players received the decision on November 3rd. The parties have 10 days to request a detailed copy of the decision and then 21 days to appeal to the CAS. FAM stated that they will definitely appeal, rather than accept the disciplinary action previously issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
Three scenarios at CAS and the risk of increased sentences.
When a case goes to the CAS, there are three possibilities: a reduction in sentence, upholding the sentence, or an increase in sentence. The outcome depends on the reliability of the submitted documents and whether the court believes there was no intention to commit fraud in the player registration. Based on this case, there has never been a case where the CAS acquitted a player of illegal naturalization or falsification of documents. This turns the appeal process into a gamble: an attempt at mitigation, but also a risk of backfiring.
Current penalties for FAM and 7 players
The FIFA Appeals Committee upheld the sanctions imposed by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee:
| Object | Sanctions |
|---|---|
| Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) | A fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (CHF) was imposed. |
| 7 players violated the rules. | Each player was fined 2,000 CHF and suspended from all football activities for 12 months. |
Processing timeframe: 10 days and 21 days
Immediately after receiving the decision, FAM and the players have 10 days to request a detailed ruling from FIFA. From that point, they have 21 days to file an appeal with CAS. The waiting process for a ruling can be lengthy, even several months.
AFC awaits CAS, impact remains uncertain.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that it could not intervene in the matter at this stage and would await the final decision of the CAS before considering whether or not to rule against the referee. This means that the professional implications remain uncertain, depending on the documentation submitted by FAM and how the CAS assesses the severity of the violation.
Highlights
- FIFA rejected all appeals on the evening of November 3rd.
- CAS procedure: 10 days to obtain a detailed judgment, 21 days to file the application.
- Three scenarios are possible at CAS: reduced sentence, upheld sentence, or increased sentence.
- Unfavorable precedent: there have been no cases of acquittal for illegal naturalization.
- The AFC is awaiting the CAS ruling before deciding whether or not to declare a loss.
Malaysia is entering a crucial phase on paper: every document, every argument carries weight. The goal is to minimize losses, but every step must be absolutely precise to avoid turning hopes of salvage into harsher penalties.
