KUALA LUMPUR – Agents involved in bringing in ineligible players into Malaysian football must face severe, career-ending consequences, says former national youth coach and coaching instructor Datuk M. Karathu, as he called for firm action to restore credibility in the sport.
Karathu’s remarks come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld an appeal by seven players sanctioned for falsifying eligibility documents in a case involving the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
In its March 6 decision in Lausanne, CAS maintained the 12-month suspension imposed by FIFA, but ruled that the ban applies only to official matches, allowing the players to continue training and participating in non-competitive football activities with their clubs.
The players involved are Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.
FAM was also fined 350,000 Swiss francs (approximately RM1.8 million), while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on March 17 imposed additional sporting sanctions, including six points deductions (vs Vietnam and Nepal) in the ongoing 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Karathu said accountability must extend beyond the players to those responsible for facilitating their entry.
“The agents who brought these players in should be banned for cheating the clubs and the sport of football,” he said.
He added that individuals found guilty, including officials, should face lifetime bans and be barred from stadiums.
“It is likely that those involved are known, even if they have since stepped down. The current leadership must take firm action to ensure this does not happen again,” he said.
Karathu also criticised the previous administration, alleging that warning signs were ignored.
“Officials knew what was happening, and it is disappointing that they chose to close one eye. Because of this, the public has lost confidence in Malaysian football,” he said.
He pointed to a decline in fan support as a consequence of governance failures.
“Previously, stadiums were filled hours before kickoff. In Kelantan, for example, up to 30,000 supporters would be in the stands by 7pm,” he said.
“That is no longer the case today.”
Karathu said the episode raises concerns about whether deeper issues, including possible corruption, were involved.
“We may not know if money was involved, but if it was, it must be stopped immediately,” he said.
Drawing comparisons with the match-fixing scandal of the 1990s, he said strict disciplinary measures were crucial in restoring the sport’s integrity.
“Back then, those involved were banned and barred from stadiums so they could not influence others. The same level of discipline must now be applied to agents and officials,” he said.
He also stressed that coaches must retain final authority over player selection to prevent external interference.
“I strongly believe coaches must have the ultimate say in selecting players. This has been consistently discussed in coaching seminars,” he said.
Despite the setback, the former Sri Lanka head coach said the situation could still be rectified with decisive action.
“This is a lesson for Malaysian football. If we act now, we can recover within the next five years,” he said.
“Cheating only demoralises teams. We must fix this to save the game.” – March 23, 2026