KUALA LUMPUR — The agents allegedly involved in falsifying documents for seven Harimau Malaya heritage players were publicly identified today following the release of FIFA’s full 64-page Appeal Committee report.
The two individuals named in the document, Nicolas Puppo and Frederico Moraes, had previously been referenced during the appeal proceedings related to the scandal.
Their roles are now expected to come under further scrutiny after FIFA instructed its secretariat to initiate an investigation into the internal operations of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
“As an initial focus, the investigation must examine the role of FAM’s Secretary-General and the two agents mentioned in these proceedings — Nicolas Puppo and Frederico Moraes. Their involvement raises serious concerns that require thorough scrutiny,” the committee wrote.
FAM earlier suspended its secretary-general, Datuk Noor Azman Rahman, after it emerged that falsified documents had been used for seven players: Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel.
Sources within Malaysia’s football fraternity previously told Scoop, on condition of anonymity, that the issue may be linked to the growing influence of a network of Spanish-linked agents who have been operating in the country for years.
Several of the affected players share playing histories in Spanish-speaking leagues and are fluent in the language, fuelling speculation that their recruitment may have been coordinated through an established network.
Earlier reporting by Scoop also highlighted concerns that a group of Spanish-speaking intermediaries had steadily expanded their presence in Malaysian football, brokering player deals and cultivating relationships across local clubs.
The latest disclosures by FIFA have intensified questions over whether this network played a deeper role in Malaysia’s eligibility crisis, which now threatens to trigger wider reforms within FAM. — November 19, 2025