FIFA accuses Malaysia of fueling the files of citizenship of players

FIFA has accused Malaysia of falsification of citizenship documents Seven players born abroad could play for the national team.

The world director of football had a fine and suspended the players at the end of September and published a report on Monday justifying its action.

FIFA said that the Malaysia Football Association (FAM) had forged birth certificates to give the impression that players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia. This said the body, “constitutes, pure and simple, a form of cheating”.

But Fam said the differences were born from an “administrative error” and that it would call on FIFA sanctions. He argued that players were “legitimate Malaysian citizens”.

FIFA’s “grandfather rule” allows football players born abroad to represent countries in which their organic parents or grandparents were born.

FIFA investigated the players after Malaysia’s 4-0 victory against Vietnam in June, in response to questions about their eligibility.

In September, the FIFA disciplinary committee suspended the seven players For a year and ordered them to pay a fine of 2,000 Swiss francs ($ 2,500; £ 1,870). At the time, FIFA did not share details on the reason for their suspension, only that it was linked to “tampered documentation”.

Football governing Body ordered FAM to pay 350,000 Swiss francs ($ 440,000; £ 330,000).

In recent years, the countries of Southeast Asia have launched recruitment readers for naturalized players, in the hope of imitating the strategy of the recruitment of Dutch footballers from the Indonesian diaspora.

Earlier this year, FAM sent birth certificates from FIFA showing that the grandparents of its seven players had been Born in Malaysian cities like Penang and Malacca.

But FIFA said that the investigators had obtained original birth certificates from the grandparents, who showed that they were born in countries like Argentina and Spain – all corresponding to the birthplaces of the players.

The seven players include Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, born in Spanish, Facundo Tomas Boards and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, born in Argentinian, Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca, the origin of the Born countries Alejandro Serrano and the Brazilian Joao Vitor Brandao Figuered.

The Minister of Sports in Malaysia, Hannah Yeoh, said that FIFA’s conclusions had tarnished the image of the country. She said the ministry would wait until FAM’s call will be finished before making an official declaration.

“I also understand that all local football fans are naturally angry, disappointed and want to see improvements,” she said at a press conference on Tuesday, according to Bernama government news agency.

Malaysia should play against Laos in another Asian cup qualifier this week – although the Malaysian team programming will be very different without the sanctioned players.