Appealing to CAS does not exempt Malaysia from FIFA sanctions

The Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) does not imply that FIFA's sanctions are put on hold, clarifying why FIFA proceeded to forfeit three matches of the Harimau Malaya team and led to Malaysia's significant fall in the global rankings.

According to FIFA's latest decision, three friendly matches of Malaysia against Cape Verde (1-1 draw), Singapore (2-1 win), and Palestine (1-0 win) have been annulled and turned into 0-3 losses. As a direct result, Malaysia's national team dropped from 116th to 121st in the world rankings.

The cause stems from FIFA concluding that FAM violated disciplinary regulations by confirming the eligibility of 7 illegally naturalized players. The sanctions include fines, player suspensions, and forfeiture of the related matches.

Although FAM has appealed to CAS, experts say FIFA retains the right to enforce sanctions if Malaysia does not file for a stay of execution. Sports lawyer Hairul Vaiyron Othman affirmed: “An appeal does not automatically suspend the penalties. Without an approved stay of execution, FIFA can fully continue enforcing the decision.”

According to Mr. Hairul, FIFA's disciplinary rulings remain valid until they are overturned or modified by CAS. Moreover, the appeal process carries risks as CAS may uphold, reduce, or increase the penalties depending on the severity of the violations and evidence reviewed.

Another important point emphasized is the distinction between nationality and eligibility under FIFA rules. Obtaining nationality does not automatically qualify a player to represent the national team unless all criteria regarding origin and residency period under FIFA law are met.

The issue was first exposed in September when FIFA's Disciplinary Committee accused FAM of falsifying or altering documents – including birth certificates – to legitimize player origins, violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. By November, FIFA's Appeals Committee upheld the sanctions, forcing FAM to take the matter to CAS as the final legal recourse.

Recently, FAM filed a police report and confirmed an internal investigation is underway to identify those responsible. However, until CAS issues a ruling, FIFA's penalties remain in effect, causing Malaysian football to suffer significant losses in performance, finances, and international reputation.