Photo: AFC
PETALING JAYA: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has clarified that the question of player eligibility in Malaysia’s mixed-heritage case remains under FIFA’s jurisdiction, with the matter now awaiting a final decision from the Football Tribunal.
They will reserve any decision until a final verdict is made.
AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul (pic) said the process was ongoing and stressed that nothing conclusive had been decided yet.
"The eligibility issue is not AFC’s decision to make. It is under FIFA, and specifically the football tribunal. That decision has not been made yet. We are waiting for the tribunal to meet, which should happen soon," he said.
According to Windsor, the disciplinary process is still incomplete.
A ruling by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has been issued, but FAM retains the right to challenge it through appeals.
"FAM can appeal. Once they appeal, the process moves to the Appeal Committee. If they are still not satisfied, the case can even go to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). Until the full judicial process is exhausted, nothing is final," he explained.
Windsor reiterated that the issue must run its full legal course.
"This is like any judicial process. There is a disciplinary committee, then an appeal committee. If you are not happy, you can go to CAS. Until all this is exercised, nothing is final. We just have to wait.
"FAM has since said they will appeal. So we expect the bodies responsible to make a decision quickly as we do not want delays because the Asian Cup qualifiers are coming," he added.
On Friday, FAM and seven national players were hit with heavy sanctions by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee for breaching Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code concerning forgery and falsification.
FIFA announced that FAM had submitted doctored documents in eligibility enquiries in order to field the players - Gabriel Palermo, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal and Hector Hevel - in Malaysia’s Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam on June 10, 2025.
Following an investigation triggered by a complaint regarding the eligibility of several of the players, the Disciplinary Committee found FAM guilty and ordered the national body to pay a fine of CHF350,000 (RM1,849,812).
The seven players were each fined CHF2,000 (RM10,570) and handed a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities.
