The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today allowed seven suspended Malaysian footballers to return to competitive play pending a final verdict. - Scoop file pic, January 27, 2026
‘Don’t fall for scams’: analyst warns Harimau Malaya players after CAS temporary reprieve
Malaysian footballers have been cautioned to stay disciplined and avoid being misled by “scams” and false promises after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) temporarily lifted FIFA suspensions on seven players pending a final ruling
Sandru Narayanan
Updated 17 seconds ago
27 January, 2026
7:31 PM MYT
‘Don’t fall for scams’: analyst warns Harimau Malaya players after CAS temporary reprieve
Malaysian footballers have been cautioned to stay disciplined and avoid being misled by “scams” and false promises after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) temporarily lifted FIFA suspensions on seven players pending a final ruling
Sandru Narayanan
Updated 17 seconds ago
27 January, 2026
7:31 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR – Players must remain loyal, disciplined and focused on their true country of birth, and beware of scams in the sporting world, warns sports analyst Sadek Mustaffa after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today allowed seven suspended Malaysian footballers to return to competitive play pending a final verdict.
Speaking to Scoop, Sadek, a senior sports science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), said the temporary clearance should not be seen as a victory.
“This is merely a temporary release pending the actual hearing and final verdict. There is no reason to celebrate prematurely. The case remains under FIFA’s investigation and is far from concluded,” he said when contacted.
Sadek described the case as a warning to all players.
“Do not be swayed or ensnared by scams in the sporting world, or by individuals driven by cheap fame and hollow ambition. Remain loyal, disciplined and focused on your employer and your true country of birth,” he said.
Sports analyst Sadek Mustaffa. – Social media pic, January 27, 2026
He also criticised how the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) handled the alleged document falsification involving the so-called heritage player issue.
“This is a deeply troubling case that risks becoming a dark chapter in world football history. FAM will stand as a lasting example of how document falsification involving players should never be handled. It is a disgrace that brings shame not only to the organisation but across generations,” Sadek said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Pekan Ramli, a senior lecturer at UiTM’s Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, said the CAS decision followed sound legal principles.
“In both civil and criminal cases, any punishment only takes effect once all legal processes have been fully exhausted. Until the appeal process is concluded, the sentence does not come into force, and the individual remains free to continue with daily life as usual,” he said.
Pekan said the temporary reprieve does not lessen the seriousness of the offence against FAM.
“This suspension does not indicate, nor does it have the potential to influence, the document falsification charges imposed on FAM. Players should focus on their club commitments while the appeal is ongoing to avoid disrupting team preparations, morale and supporter confidence,” he said.
He added that FIFA had acted appropriately in temporarily suspending the players.
“Not all cases proceed to CAS, and FIFA often has to act swiftly to prevent matters from dragging on. The decision by CAS to allow the players to return temporarily is in line with legal reasoning and due process,” Pekan said.
Earlier, FAM said Facundo Garcés and six other players — Rodrigo Holgado, Gabriel Palmero, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Hevel, who were implicated in the alleged falsification of identification documents, had been allowed to resume playing.
According to FAM, CAS granted the players’ application for a stay of execution.
The seven players were found guilty of violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
Each player was fined 2,000 Swiss francs (about RM10,000) and banned from all football-related activities worldwide for 12 months, while FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8 million).
FIFA also annulled the results of three international matches in which ineligible players were fielded, recording the fixtures as 3–0 defeats for Malaysia.
The affected matches were the 1–1 draw against Cape Verde on May 29, the 2–1 win over Singapore on September 4, and the 1–0 victory against Palestine on September 8.
The decisions ended Malaysia’s unbeaten run in 2025 and contributed to a drop in the national team’s FIFA world ranking. — January 27, 2026
He also criticised how the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) handled the alleged document falsification involving the so-called heritage player issue.
“This is a deeply troubling case that risks becoming a dark chapter in world football history. FAM will stand as a lasting example of how document falsification involving players should never be handled. It is a disgrace that brings shame not only to the organisation but across generations,” Sadek said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Pekan Ramli, a senior lecturer at UiTM’s Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, said the CAS decision followed sound legal principles.
“In both civil and criminal cases, any punishment only takes effect once all legal processes have been fully exhausted. Until the appeal process is concluded, the sentence does not come into force, and the individual remains free to continue with daily life as usual,” he said.
Pekan said the temporary reprieve does not lessen the seriousness of the offence against FAM.
“This suspension does not indicate, nor does it have the potential to influence, the document falsification charges imposed on FAM. Players should focus on their club commitments while the appeal is ongoing to avoid disrupting team preparations, morale and supporter confidence,” he said.
He added that FIFA had acted appropriately in temporarily suspending the players.
“Not all cases proceed to CAS, and FIFA often has to act swiftly to prevent matters from dragging on. The decision by CAS to allow the players to return temporarily is in line with legal reasoning and due process,” Pekan said.
Earlier, FAM said Facundo Garcés and six other players — Rodrigo Holgado, Gabriel Palmero, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Hevel, who were implicated in the alleged falsification of identification documents, had been allowed to resume playing.
According to FAM, CAS granted the players’ application for a stay of execution.
The seven players were found guilty of violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
Each player was fined 2,000 Swiss francs (about RM10,000) and banned from all football-related activities worldwide for 12 months, while FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8 million).
FIFA also annulled the results of three international matches in which ineligible players were fielded, recording the fixtures as 3–0 defeats for Malaysia.
The affected matches were the 1–1 draw against Cape Verde on May 29, the 2–1 win over Singapore on September 4, and the 1–0 victory against Palestine on September 8.
The decisions ended Malaysia’s unbeaten run in 2025 and contributed to a drop in the national team’s FIFA world ranking. — January 27, 2026
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Malaysians cringe in shame at the existence of these so-called "heritage" players
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