Facundo Garcés won't be able to play an official game in eight months

Facundo Garcés, the Argentine defense of the Alavés, will have to serve a penalty that will prevent him from playing official games in eight months, but he will be able to train with the Vitorian team and play friendly games, as decided by the Court of Sports Arbitration (KAA).

This court has partially upheld the appeal of seven footballers, including Garcés himself, and has limited the 12-month sentence imposed on them by FIFA for forgery of documents to obtain the Malaysian passport to official meetings.

KAA has specified that theban on playing s began today, but already includes the penalty served from 25 September to 26 January 2025.

In this way, the KAA has limited the penalty that prevented them from carrying out any football activity for one year, but has rejected the request of the Malaysian Federation (FAM) and maintained the fine imposed on that organization (£350,000 Swiss), whose management resigned on 28 January because of the scandal.

KAA recalls that in 2025 theMalaysian Federation proposed to Argentine players Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado and Imanol Machuca , Brazilian Joao Figueiredo , Canary Gabriel Palmero ,\ u00A0 to Vizcaíno Jon Irazabal and Dutch Hector Hevel Serrano to obtain citizenship and be part of their selection to play the 2027 Asian Cup .

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee concluded in September last year that the Malaysian Federation and footballers used false documentation during the nationalization process and imposed sanctions on them. The appellate body confirmed the sanctions in November on the federation and players with fines of £350,000 and £2,000 respectively. It also imposed a 12-month ban on the practice of football.

Facundo Garcés, the defense of the Alavés, managed to temporarily suspend the penalty at the KAA on 26 January and was able to return to the dynamics of the Alavés.