FAM says Fifa sanctions unfair after losing CAS appeal

2026-03-06 - 05:53

The Court of Arbitration for Sport had dismissed FAM’s appeal over Fifa’s 350,000 Swiss franc fine, considering it justified and proportionate to the offence. PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) contends that Fifa’s sanctions are disproportionate after losing its appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the forgery case involving seven naturalised players. FAM said it accepted responsibility for its “oversight failures” during proceedings at the CAS, but that the fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8 million) was unfair. “While FAM respects the authority of the CAS, the sanctions imposed appear disproportionate, particularly when compared to sanctions imposed in similar cases before the CAS. “FAM will assess this further once the full award is available,” it said in a statement. The association added that the outcome was particularly disappointing for the seven footballers, who were banned from playing in official matches for 12 months. “The players were not involved in the administrative process and had no knowledge of the matters related to administration. The players are Malaysians who obtained citizenship in accordance to the laws of Malaysia,” said FAM. FAM said it would reserve further comments on the merits of the decision until the full grounds of decision are released and reviewed. “FAM wishes to thank the fans for their unwavering support during this difficult period. The national team remains focused on its objectives and will continue to work hard for Malaysian football.” FAM and the seven naturalised Malaysian footballers were penalised by Fifa after the world football body said FAM had submitted falsified documents to confirm the players’ eligibility before Malaysia’s 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam on June 10. In addition to slapping FAM with a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs, Fifa fined each player 2,000 Swiss francs (about RM10,560). FAM and the players filed appeals on Dec 5, requesting that the penalties be annulled in their entirety or that a proportionate sanction be issued, “as the players did not act with intent or negligence”. Yesterday, the CAS partially upheld the appeal filed by the seven players, ruling that they must serve a 12-month ban from official matches instead of all “football-related activities”. The panel found that the 12-month ban for falsifying documents was a reasonable and proportionate sanction for the players, given their complicit responsibility in the fraud. The CAS also dismissed FAM’s appeal over Fifa’s fine, considering it justified and proportionate to the offence.