FIFA Follows Up Forgery Of Malaysian Player Naturalization Documents, Involves Criminal Authorities

JAKARTA - The case of falsifying the naturalization documents of Malaysian footballers has entered a new chapter. In the latest developments related to the case, FIFA will launch a formal investigation into the internal operations of the FAM (Malikian Football Federation), as well as notify criminal authorities in five countries regarding violations of document forgery.

On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, FIFA released a 63-page full report for the FAM requested 'motivated decision' so that their case could be brought to the Sports Arbitration Court (CAS), after their initial appeal was rejected on November 3, 2025.

The appeal relates to sentences handed down to FAM and seven players --Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Hector Hevel, and Jon Irazabal--for using fake documents to obtain citizenship to represent Malaysia at the international level even though none of them had previously lived in the country.

Although initially getting approval with fake documents, the players were then asked to prove that they have a Malaysian lineage through a grandfather / grandmother.

In a series of events that could potentially harm FAM, the FIFA report stated that screenshots of WhatsApp conversations involving players who shared copies of their grandparents' birth certificates showed that they were not born in Malaysia.

"What is very important is that my grandfather was born in Venezuela and my grandmother in Spain.... I mean Malaysia, sorry," FIFA quoted Palmero's words in court - whose real name is Gabriel Felipe Arrocha.

FIFA concluded that FAM had no basis in their appeal to overturn the decision.

The World Football Federation then not only strengthens the sanctions that have been imposed before, but also feels the need to provide additional statements.

Most notably, FIFA found strong reasons to start further investigations to ensure the breach was fully investigated.

As a result, the Secretariat of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has been instructed to immediately take steps to launch a formal investigation into FAM's international operations.

Furthermore, the report states that given the nature and severity of violations - especially falsification of official documents - the secretariat will take relevant action by informing the competent criminal authorities in Malaysia as well as Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, and Spain, the country of origin of the players referred to in the fake documents.

FAM responded with a brief release of 127 words on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, stating that it had accepted FIFA's reasons behind its rejection of appeal and would begin the process of bringing the case to CAS to ensure justice is upheld and upholds the integrity of the player's feasibility process.