Malaysian naturalized player returns to Europe following CAS penalty

Gabriel Palmero, one of the naturalized players deemed invalid for the Malaysian national team, is reportedly set to leave Malaysia and return to his home country, Spain.

Despite previously being declared a lawful Malaysian citizen, this controversial naturalized player has made a different decision. Palmero is expected to depart Malaysia soon after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued its final ruling on the matter.

According to the Makanbolareport, Palmero will return to Spain rather than remain in Malaysia during the disciplinary suspension imposed by FIFA. This information was confirmed by Kuching City Club President, Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, in an interview with local Malaysian media. He stated this decision is part of the risks previously discussed between the club and the player.

According to the CAS ruling, the seven invalid naturalized players are only permitted to train, but not to play in official matches for either their clubs or the national team. More severely, their journey wearing the Malaysian national team jersey is considered closed. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also confirmed this.

AFC Secretary General Windsor John affirmed that the seven invalid naturalized players will not be able to represent Malaysia in the future, even after their suspension ends. This indicates they are not eligible to play for the Malaysian national team, though they may still continue with clubs if permitted.

Mr. Fazzrudin said: “This risk was discussed beforehand, and our invitation also came with those risks. When this issue (the CAS ruling) occurred, we communicated with him. Palmero understands this and has always shown readiness to contribute to Kuching City in the future.”

However, Kuching City's leadership seems unwilling to retain a player who cannot compete on the field, hence the decision for Palmero to return to Spain was made. Nevertheless, the Malaysian club ensures that the door for return remains open if Palmero wishes to come back after his suspension ends.

Additionally, Kuching City also believes the team is not significantly affected by Palmero's departure, as they still have other players of comparable quality.

Fazzrudin added: “I advised him to continue training because 12 months is not an excessively long period. I also said we are always ready to welcome him back after the penalty ends. He helps the team have squad depth, so when substitutions are made, the team's quality remains assured.”

Palmero's departure may initiate a wave of Malaysia's invalid naturalized players returning to their home countries. The misconduct in the naturalization process by the Malaysian Football Association (FAM) and related parties has caused serious consequences. Public opinion is still awaiting to see what additional penalties Malaysia will face following this embarrassing scandal.