Malaysia refuses to surrender despite CAS rejecting appeal

Malaysia continues to pursue the illegal naturalization matter, retaining the option to file a third appeal with the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT) following the rejection by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the appeal regarding the illegal naturalization of seven players, Malaysian football seemed to have reached the end of its efforts to avoid penalties. However, according to multiple local media sources, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) still has one final legal opportunity to continue pursuing the case.

On the evening of March 5, CAS officially rejected FAM's appeal. This decision is seen as a crucial turning point, as the Asian Football Confederation had previously announced it would issue rulings concerning Malaysia's matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers after the final conclusion from the relevant body. The affected matches include fixtures against the Vietnam and Nepal national teams.

Nevertheless, the legal door is not entirely closed for Malaysian football. According to the local newspaper Berita Harian, sports lawyer Erman Nik Roseli stated that FAM could still pursue the case by appealing to the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT). This is the highest judicial authority in Switzerland, which has the power to review CAS decisions under certain circumstances.

According to Roseli, CAS is based in Switzerland and operates under the country's legal system. Statistics show that many cases handled by CAS have subsequently been brought before the SFT for review. In some instances, rulings have even been overturned, although the success rate is not high.

The potential for a third appeal may alter earlier predictions made by the media and the AFC. Previously, many believed the case would conclude before the final matches of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, where Malaysia is scheduled to face Vietnam in late March.

However, if FAM decides to proceed with an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, the resolution process could extend for several more weeks, possibly into April. Notably, following the CAS ruling, the Football Association of Malaysia has yet to issue any official statement indicating acceptance of the outcome. This leads local media to believe that Malaysian football has not given up its efforts in the controversial illegal naturalization case.