Malaysian Football Association defends 7 naturalized players following CAS ruling

The Malaysian Football Association (FAM) affirms it will continue to uphold the citizenship status of seven foreign-born players, despite CAS upholding a 12-month suspension due to documentation disputes.

The Malaysian Football Association (FAM) asserts it will continue to defend the citizenship status of seven naturalized players, despite the latest ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In an official statement issued after CAS announced the appeal outcome, FAM expressed disappointment with the decision of the world's highest sports arbitration body, particularly concerning the players' legal standing.

According to FAM, these seven players were not involved in any administrative procedures during the previous document verification process. Therefore, their receiving penalties from documentation disputes is something the association finds unjust.

“This decision is truly disappointing, especially for the players. They were not involved in any administrative processes and also had no knowledge of the issues related to management procedures,” FAM emphasized in the announcement.

The Malaysian football governing body also confirmed that the aforementioned players remain lawful citizens of the country. According to FAM, their nationality was granted in accordance with Malaysian legal regulations and cannot be denied solely based on disputes related to sports documentation.

“These players are Malaysian citizens, and their nationality was conferred based on the country's legal provisions. Therefore, we continue to protect their rights,” FAM further affirmed.

Previously, CAS decided to uphold the penalty of a 12-month suspension for the seven players who have represented the Malaysian national team. However, the penalty applies only to official matches, rather than a complete ban on all football activities as initially proposed.

This means the players can continue training, participating in professional activities, and maintaining their form at their clubs. Nevertheless, they will not be permitted to appear in any official matches for the national team during the period the penalty remains effective.