KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The FIFA Appeals Committee has dismissed the appeal lodged by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), confirming that all sanctions imposed on the national body and seven naturalised players of the Harimau Malaya squad will remain in effect.
According to FIFA, the decision followed a detailed review of the case files and hearing sessions involving FAM and the players — Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui, and Héctor Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
FAM was fined CHF 350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was ordered to pay CHF 2,000 (around RM10,560) and serve a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities.
“The Appeals Committee, after examining the submissions and hearing evidence from all parties, decided to uphold the initial decision in its entirety,” FIFA said in its statement.
FAM and the affected players were officially notified on Monday and given ten days to request a full written rationale, after which they will have 21 days to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The ruling reinforces FIFA’s strict enforcement of player eligibility and compliance regulations within global football.