Fifa overturns three Malaysia matches amid player eligibility scandal
Fifa changes results of three friendlies, handing down 3-0 defeats for games against Cape Verde, Singapore and Palestine
Fifa has overturned the results of three Malaysia matches after finding they had fielded ineligible players, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said on Wednesday, in the latest setback for the team amid a widening document forgery scandal.
Football’s world governing body had suspended seven naturalised players for 12 months and fined the association 350,000 Swiss francs (US$439,257) in September after finding false documentation had been used to allow them to play in an Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam in June.
Fifa dismissed an appeal by FAM last month, saying it would launch a formal investigation into the association’s internal operations and notify authorities in five countries of potential criminal proceedings.
In response, the Malaysia body said it would bring the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In its latest decision, Fifa’s disciplinary committee also changed the results of three friendlies the players had appeared in, handing down 3-0 defeats for games against Cape Verde on May 29, Singapore on September 4 and Palestine on September 8, FAM said.
The association has also been fined 10,000 Swiss francs.