When FIFA doesn't need VAR to catch Malaysia's mistakes

Seven players – once seen as symbols of integration and ambition – have now been exposed as the products of a blatant case of fake nationality. And this time, Malaysian football cannot deny it: “Cheating, pure cheating”, as FIFA itself put it.

From heritage pride to honor shock

For many years, Malaysian football has built an image of a team “hybrid” between local blood and South American and European talents. They call it “heritage”, a testament to openness and global vision. But FIFA sees something else – a plot to legitimize foreign players with fake profiles.

The seven players – Gabriel Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel – were all born in Brazil, Argentina, Spain and the Netherlands. Malaysia claimed they had roots in Penang, Johor or Malacca through their paternal and maternal grandparents. However, after a few tests, FIFA discovered that none of them had Malaysian ancestry.

The “administrative error” excuse immediately collapsed. In the report, FIFA stressed: “Submitting false documents to validate eligibility is cheating – pure cheating – and cannot be tolerated.”

What has caused more outrage is the role of the Malaysian administrative agency. FIFA’s report states that the National Registration Department (NRD) issued new birth certificates without the original, based on “secondary information and foreign documents” from Argentina, Brazil, and Spain. In other words, the papers proving “Malaysian blood” for the seven players did not exist in Malaysia, but were “recreated” based on foreign data.

The Malaysian Football Federation is under criticism.

However, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution still claimed that all the processes were “valid and transparent”. He affirmed that NRD Director General Badrul Hisham Alias had “personally examined” the documents. The statement “we should only worry when there is something to hide” has now become a spark that has caused public opinion to explode – because what should be hidden seems to have been exposed.

FAM - weak response in the eye of the storm

In response to public anger, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) issued a statement asserting that “FIFA’s allegations are baseless and unfair.” FAM said it would appeal to the highest level. But the protest sounded more like a defense than a serious legal strategy.

Meanwhile, Argentine player Facundo Garces tried to save his image with a status on Instagram: "I am Malaysian through my grandparents' blood, and I am proud to wear the national team shirt."

An emotional statement – but one that offended Malaysian fans even more. Because if it is “pride”, then it is built on fake papers and lies.

This is no longer a football case. Legal activist Eric Paulsen calls it “a wound to the entire Malaysian citizenship system.” He asks: how could a dossier have passed through so many levels of scrutiny, without complicity or at least a blind eye?

“Those responsible – those who should have known better – let it all fall apart and left the country in disgrace. Now Malaysia’s reputation has been irreparably damaged,” Paulsen wrote.

He called for the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry, because “it is impossible to let those who committed the wrongdoings investigate themselves.”

Malaysia's naturalized players are in trouble.

Malaysia can appeal, it can blame “regional rivals”, or even allege “ political conspiracy”. But what FIFA has released is not hearsay – it is legal, authentic evidence from four countries.

On social media, thousands of Malaysians used the hashtags #FAMShame, #CleanFootballMY, #WeDeserveTheTruth. They were not angry because they lost the game. They were angry because their national pride was being exploited, because football – the thing that once united the nation – was being turned into a hoax.

If FAM has any self-respect left, it needs to face the truth: this is not just an administrative failure, but a moral collapse.

FIFA did not need to do any complicated investigation. They did not create a vaccine, they just checked the records – and the truth was revealed. The final question for FAM – and those in the system who helped: Who do you think you can fool? The world , or the Malaysian people?

Source: https://znews.vn/khi-fifa-khong-can-var-de-bat-loi-malaysia-post1591640.html