Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John, General Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), confirmed that the organization has no authority to intervene in the case where the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rejected the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) appeal regarding a document forgery incident involving naturalized players.
Although FIFA has issued official penalties for FAM and the players, according to international procedures, FAM can still potentially overturn FIFA’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Therefore, the AFC cannot currently take action against FAM or the Malaysian national team.
AFC General Secretary, Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John (Photo: Getty).
In a statement to Arena Metro, Mr. Windsor stated that any further action could only be taken if FAM refers the matter to CAS.
“Currently, the AFC cannot intervene in FIFA’s rejection of FAM’s appeal. Any further action can only be taken after FAM takes the matter to CAS, and this process could take several months,” Mr. Windsor said.
He added that merely filing a submission to CAS takes over a month, and the entire hearing process could take a long time before a final verdict is reached. The AFC General Secretary emphasized that the organization respects the procedures and authority of FIFA and CAS to ensure that all steps are carried out according to international standards.
“This process allows FAM an opportunity to fully present its evidence and arguments. It is a chance for all parties involved to debate and ensure that the final decision is made fairly,” Mr. Windsor stated.
He also affirmed that the AFC will closely monitor the developments but cannot intervene or make judgments until CAS takes up the case and issues a ruling. However, the AFC will only “wait” for FAM until March 31, 2026, as that is when the AFC will conduct the draw for the 2027 Asian Cup Finals.
For now, the Malaysian national team is still allowed to participate in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers with two remaining matches: against Laos in November and Vietnam next March. Currently, Malaysia leads Group F with a three-point advantage over second-placed Vietnam.
However, if CAS does not overturn FIFA’s penalty, Malaysia is almost certain to face sanctions from the AFC for using ineligible players in a tournament under its system. Penalties typically include a 0-3 loss and, more seriously, could lead to a ban from future international tournaments.
The Malaysian national team continues to compete in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers (Photo: Getty).
Earlier, FAM’s hopes of overturning the penalty ended after the FIFA Appeal Committee decided to reject the appeal.
Accordingly, FIFA upheld the fine of 350,000 CHF (approximately 11.6 billion VND) against FAM. The seven players involved were each fined 2,000 CHF (approximately 66 million VND) and suspended for 12 months for violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code related to document forgery.
The list of seven disciplined players includes: Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garcas, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
The incident is causing a stir in Malaysian football, as these players all play important roles in the national team, and FAM faces the risk of serious reputational damage on the international stage.
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