CAS upholds 12-month match bans for four M-League players over document falsification, while reducing FIFA’s broader football activity suspensions.

KUALA LUMPUR: Four Malaysia League (M-League) players have been suspended from official matches for 12 months following a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision.

The Malaysian Football League (MFL) confirmed the suspensions for Johor Darul Ta’zim players Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, alongside Kuching City FC’s Gabriel Palmero.

The players were among seven heritage players sanctioned by FIFA for falsifying naturalisation and eligibility documents to play for Malaysia.

Last Thursday, CAS partially allowed the players’ appeal against FIFA’s original sanctions.

The arbitration court ruled that the 12-month suspension should apply only to official matches, not to all football-related activities as initially ordered by FIFA.

“The notification states that the seven players will still serve a 12-month suspension, but it applies only to official matches,” the MFL stated.

CAS also upheld the CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million) fine imposed on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), deeming it appropriate and proportionate.

The MFL said it received official notification of the CAS decision from FAM.

 The Sun Malaysia