CAS to release full grounds on FAM forgery scandal this month

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) plans to release the complete reasoning behind its ruling on the Malaysian football naturalisation scandal by the end of September. This announcement comes amidst a high-stakes situation for the newly elected leadership of the Federation of Malaysian Associations (FAM). The CAS released its operative decision on March 5, maintaining a CHF350,000 (RM1.8 million) FIFA fine while adjusting the bans of seven foreign-born players and FAM.

However, the detailed grounds of the decision, including evidence and arguments, have not been published. The tribunal's decision will likely shed light on the alleged manipulation of civil registry records supporting ancestry claims from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and the Netherlands. Additionally, the CAS award is expected to reveal the chain of submission to FIFA and the extent of institutional responsibility within FAM.

The timing of the publication is particularly significant, as FAM's extraordinary elective congress will take place on September 16, electing a new leadership. The incoming executive committee is also set to receive the findings of an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) governance audit. FAM is currently under increased scrutiny over its player clearance procedures, with the recent clearance of Australian-born Brad Tapp and the naturalisation of Brazilian striker Bergson da Silva.