Laotian fans react strongly as 7 Malaysian players receive temporary suspension lift

Football supporters in Laos are outraged after CAS temporarily suspended the sanctions against a group of naturalized Malaysian players, calling the decision opaque and severely damaging to the Vietnam national team.

The Southeast Asian football community was shaken by the news The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided to temporarily lift FIFA's sanctions against 7 naturalized Malaysian players including Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, and their teammates.

Although FIFA had previously confirmed the naturalization documents of this group were forged, CAS’s ruling allows them to return to the field while awaiting the final verdict.

In Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Malaysia currently leads with a perfect 15 points from 5 matches. Vietnam closely follows in second place with 12 points. Meanwhile, Laos has officially been eliminated with only 3 points from 5 games.

Despite being knocked out, a large number of Elephant Nation supporters have sparked a strong wave of protest across regional football forums demanding fairness for their "neighbor" Vietnam.

Numerous comments expressing anger and confusion have been sent by Laotian football fans to AFC and CAS. One supporter wrote: “This is a farce of the rules! The forged documents are crystal clear, yet they are pardoned to continue playing?”.

Many others voiced dissatisfaction with the transparency of the tournament: “Why is Malaysia always favored? This is an extremely unfair decision against Vietnam, who fought fairly but now face opponents using 'illegal' players.”.

On social media, a user from Vientiane commented sarcastically: “Vietnam is put in a difficult position because of another team’s violations; it’s simply unacceptable!”.

Some even worry about setting a bad precedent: “So forging documents and appealing means you get to keep playing? Where is the justice for Vietnam when they can be robbed of a qualifying spot by a cheating squad?”.

The dissatisfaction of Laotian fans reflects a broader regional view: football demands transparency. Malaysia’s temporary escape from punishment not only complicates Group F for Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team but also erodes trust in international football institutions.

Currently, all eyes are on CAS’s final ruling, which will decide the Asian Cup 2027 qualification spot between Malaysia and Vietnam.