Court of Arbitration for Sport cuts sanctions on Malaysia players to official-match bans

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued a significant ruling in a high-profile international football eligibility case. On Thursday, CAS eased sanctions on seven footballers who represented Malaysia using falsified naturalization documents, ruling they will serve a 12-month suspension from official matches only, rather than the original ban from all football-related activities. The players, including Deportivo Alaves' Facundo Garces and others from clubs in Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and Malaysia, were initially sanctioned by FIFA in September after an investigation revealed doctored documentation was used to enable them to play in an Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam.

CAS found the players bore "complicit responsibility" in the fraud but determined that restricting the ban to matches was a "reasonable and proportionate" sanction under Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This means the players can immediately resume training with their respective clubs during the suspension period. However, CAS upheld FIFA's $450,000 fine against the Football Association of Malaysia, maintaining financial accountability for the governing body's role in the scandal. The ruling establishes a precedent for distinguishing between competition bans and broader activity restrictions in eligibility fraud cases.