4 out of 7 Malaysian naturalized players involved in fraud have made a comeback, attracting significant attention.

Four of the seven Malaysian naturalized players have been permitted to resume professional matches following a temporary ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), pending the final verdict related to their one-year ban.

The group of players includes Facundo Garces, Hector Hevel, Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Holgado, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Gabriel Palmero, who were suspended from playing last September after FIFA determined that the documents proving their eligibility were allegedly forged.

The provisional CAS decision, issued at the end of last month, permits these players to compete during the appeal process. Officials emphasized that this is not the final ruling.

According to the New Straits Times,since this decision, at least four players have appeared in a total of nine matches in Malaysia and Spain.In Malaysia, Hevel, Irazabal, and Figueiredo have played for Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in the ASEAN Club Championship and the Malaysia Super League.

Figueiredo scored one goal for JDT, while Garces appeared in two La Liga matches for Deportivo Alaves. Hevel said his limited playing time was a stepping stone to regaining his best fitness. He stated: “I am feeling fine and can perform better.”

In Argentina, Machuca has resumed training with Velez Sarsfield but has yet to play in any match. Coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto said after weeks without playing, Machuca is not ready for a full game. Schelotto commented: “He will start on the bench, and we will consider whether to bring him onto the field during the match.”

In Spain, Alaves coach Eduardo Coudet welcomed Garces’s return and praised his positive impact on the team. Coudet remarked: “He has a very good spirit, is very strong, and that benefits the entire team.”

Although the players have been allowed back on the field, CAS stressed that this provisional decision is merely procedural to prevent “irreparable sporting harm” and does not guarantee their long-term eligibility. Clubs using these players still face risks of forfeiting matches or having the suspension reinstated if CAS issues an unfavorable final ruling. The CAS hearing is scheduled for February 26.