On 14/4, the AFF announced it had completed its investigation and found no legal basis to sanction JDT or the players involved under the organization's disciplinary and ethics code. The three players under review, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, are currently banned from playing for one year for falsifying ancestry documents to play for the Malaysian national team.

According to the AFF, the review process was extended due to the case's complex nature. They awaited conclusions from related international legal procedures to ensure a fair assessment. After reviewing all records, documents, and current regulations, the regional federation affirmed there was no basis for disciplinary action.

The starting lineup of Johor Darul Ta'zim featured only Arif Aiman Hanapi (bottom row, center) as a Malaysian national, during their 5-2 victory over South Korea's Pohang Steelers in the final group stage match of the AFC Champions League Elite 2024-2025, held at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Johor city, Malaysia on the evening of 18/2/2025. *Photo: JDT*

The AFF also confirmed that JDT did not submit any falsified documents during player registration for the ASEAN Club Championship. The federation further verified that all three players possessed valid Malaysian nationality at the time of registration, thus not violating regulations on foreign player quotas.

Figueiredo, Irazabal, and Hevel are among seven players banned by FIFA for one year due to document falsification. They claimed to have a Malaysian grandfather or grandmother, but documents uncovered by FIFA indicated that these players lacked Malaysian ancestry. Nevertheless, they were legitimately naturalized as Malaysian citizens according to the country's regulations.

The AFF's decision means JDT will continue to compete normally in regional tournaments. This aligns with the conclusion of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which states that sanctions related to playing eligibility apply only to national teams and do not affect clubs.

The issue originated from a document falsification scandal concerning the naturalization process for players on the Malaysian national team. FIFA banned seven players from competing for 12 months and fined each of them, while also sanctioning the Football Association of Malaysia for regulatory violations. These penalties were later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after appeals were rejected.

Beyond the suspensions, Malaysian football faced further consequences, including 0-3 forfeits in two Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches and five FIFA friendly matches, due to the use of ineligible players.

However, the crux of the matter lies in the scope of regulatory application. According to governing bodies, FIFA's sanctions pertain only to official national team matches. Conversely, club-level tournaments organized by the AFC or AFF do not apply nationality criteria in the same manner, provided players meet registration requirements at the time of participation.

This distinction means a player might be suspended at the national team level but still eligible to play for a club. The AFF stated that it thoroughly reviewed JDT's registration records and found no irregularities within the scope of the tournaments it manages.

Nevertheless, the AFF affirmed its commitment to protecting the transparency and integrity of regional tournaments, while addressing all issues fairly and based on regulations. The organization stated that awaiting conclusions from international bodies is essential to avoid hasty decisions.

*Hoang An (via NST)*