KUALA LUMPUR – Facundo Garces, one of seven players implicated in the document falsification scandal involving the national football team, has been listed as an Argentine for the new La Liga season.
The Deportivo Alaves defender is listed as an Argentine on the Spanish club’s official website.
The development has raised questions over whether Garces, who previously obtained Malaysian citizenship to represent Harimau Malaya, has relinquished his Malaysian citizenship and is now recognised solely as an Argentine.
Garces was previously granted Malaysian citizenship, allowing him to represent the national team before becoming embroiled in the document falsification scandal involving seven foreign-born players.
He and six other players were subsequently handed 12-month suspensions and fined CHF2,000 (approximately RM10,500) each by FIFA over the use of falsified documents.
The other players involved are Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.
The case became one of the biggest controversies to hit Malaysian football after FIFA took action against the players over irregularities involving documents used to support their eligibility to represent Malaysia.
The players were initially suspended from all football-related activities, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in March partially reduced the scope of the punishment.
Under the CAS ruling, the 12-month suspension applies only to official matches and does not extend to all football-related activities.
As a result, Garces and the other six players are allowed to continue training with their respective clubs throughout the suspension period.
However, Garces’ latest listing as an Argentine on Deportivo Alaves’ official website has raised fresh questions over the status of the Malaysian citizenship he obtained to represent Harimau Malaya. – August 18, 2026