Malaysia’s football community has been thrown into turmoil following FIFA’s decision to uphold sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven of its naturalised players for alleged document falsification. On November 3, the FIFA Appeals Committee confirmed that it had “analysed the submission and conducted a hearing” before deciding to reject FAM’s appeal, leaving the original penalties in place, as reported by CNN Indonesia.

As a result, FAM faces a fine of around MYR7.2mn or $1.7mn, while the seven players, Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano, were each fined CHF2,000 ($2,476) and suspended from football activities for 12 months, Detik Sport reports.

FIFA’s investigation found discrepancies in the players’ naturalisation documents, particularly regarding their grandparents’ places of birth. FAM reportedly claimed these were in Malaysia, whereas FIFA verified that they were in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands, CNN Indonesia reports.

FAM’s “surprised” reaction draws public ridicule

In response to the ruling, FAM stated its official Instagram account, expressing “surprise” (terkejut) at FIFA’s decision. The statement immediately sparked backlash among Malaysian fans, who viewed it as tone-deaf and disingenuous. According to Superball, many supporters mocked the use of the word “terkejut,” arguing that the outcome had been obvious from the start. Some even described the federation’s response as a “joke that everyone saw coming.”

Acting FAM president Yusoff Mahadi later clarified that the word was not meant to suggest ignorance, but rather disappointment. “When we filed the appeal, we hoped the decision would be in our favour,” Yusoff told Stadium Astro, explaining that the federation had anticipated at least a partial reduction in the sentence. “The word ‘surprised’ is more an expression of our frustration that the appeal didn’t change anything,” he said.

Despite his clarification, Yusoff’s comments were met with scepticism. As Superball noted, FAM appeared to misunderstand the appeal process, assuming that merely submitting an appeal would automatically improve the outcome. “From their reaction, it’s as if FAM believed that filing a complaint guaranteed a favourable decision,” one commentator wrote.

TMJ’s early warning and criticism of FIFA’s process

Before the verdict was announced, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (TMJ), the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) owner and architect of Malaysia’s naturalisation programme, had already cautioned that the decision was unlikely to change. “Even if an appeal was filed, the ruling would likely remain the same,” TMJ predicted, as reported by Superball.

Following FIFA’s confirmation, TMJ defended the players and accused the organisation of misapplying its own rules. Citing Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, TMJ argued that sanctions should only apply to those who directly falsify or knowingly use fake documents. “FIFA punished the players by wrongly applying the rule. None of them forged or used fake documents themselves,” he told the New Straits Times, describing the decision as a regulatory misunderstanding

TMJ’s comments have reignited debate over Malaysia’s naturalisation policy, which he introduced to bolster the national squad with foreign-born players of Malaysian descent. Critics argue that the scandal exposes weaknesses in FAM’s documentation and due diligence processes.

Fans divided as FAM eyes appeal to CAS

Public sentiment in Malaysia remains divided. While some fans support FAM’s decision to escalate the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), others believe it is futile. “Just pay the fine and accept the punishment. There’s no point taking it to CAS, FIFA’s case is strong,” wrote one Malaysian netizen on Detik Sport. Another added, “This is their own fault. They submitted incomplete documents and are now blaming FIFA.”

Nevertheless, FAM remains defiant. Acting president Yusoff Mahadi has confirmed that the federation will use its final avenue of appeal. “We are disappointed, but this is not the end. We will bring this matter to CAS,” he stated, as quoted by Superball. According to CNN Indonesia, FIFA has given FAM 10 days to request the reasoning behind the rejection and 21 days to file an appeal with CAS.

Experts, however, caution that such appeals rarely succeed unless there are significant procedural errors in FIFA’s handling of the case. “FAM would have to prove that FIFA violated due process or misinterpreted its own code, a high bar to meet,” said a Malaysian sports law analyst interviewed by JPNN.

AFC’s silent observation and the broader impact

While FIFA’s sanctions remain in place, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has yet to take further action. A report from Superball noted that the AFC is currently monitoring the situation and has opted not to impose additional penalties until the CAS proceedings conclude. However, several observers warn that if the CAS upholds FIFA’s ruling, Malaysia could face wider repercussions, including possible point deductions or tournament disqualifications.

The scandal has also damaged Malaysia’s image in the regional football community. The naturalisation policy that once symbolised Malaysia’s ambition to compete more effectively in Asia has now become a cautionary tale. Analysts say that the incident might discourage the federation from pursuing similar naturalisation efforts in the near future.

A federation at a crossroads

For FAM, the road ahead is fraught with uncertainty. The decision to challenge FIFA at the international arbitration level underscores its determination to defend both the federation’s integrity and its players’ reputations. However, as CNN Indonesia and Detik Sport point out, the case has already eroded public confidence in the organisation’s leadership and administrative competence.

As Yusoff Mahadi himself admitted, “We’re disappointed that the appeal didn’t have any impact on FIFA. It’s not what we hoped for". With the clock ticking on their CAS deadline, Malaysia’s football authorities face a defining moment, one that will determine not only the outcome of their appeal but also the credibility of the nation’s football governance.

Whether FAM can emerge from this crisis with its reputation intact remains to be seen. But as the backlash grows louder, one thing is clear: Malaysia’s football leadership must rebuild public trust before it can hope to rebuild its team.