Huge scandal in La Liga! Alavés defender Facundo Garcés suspended for a year for document forgery
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has delivered a final and extremely tough verdict in the high-profile disciplinary case involving the Malaysian Football Federation.
Details: The central figure in the scandal is Spanish club Alavés defender Facundo Garcés who, according to Mundo Deportivo, along with six other footballers, has received a one-year suspension. Previously, the execution of the punishment was put on hold pending investigation, but today the court confirmed: Garcés will not be allowed to play in official matches for the next 12 months.
The case stems from a FIFA investigation that uncovered widespread violations of Article 22 of the Disciplinary Code—document forgery. According to the investigation, Garcés and other players (including Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Holgado, and Jon Irazábal) were involved in manipulations with documentation from the Malaysian federation.
In addition to the lengthy suspension, each player is required to pay a fine of 2,000 Swiss francs, while the Malaysian Football Federation itself has been hit with a hefty 350,000-franc penalty.
Despite the strict ban on participating in matches, the CAS decision leaves the players a small loophole to maintain their form. During the year-long suspension, Garcés and his colleagues are allowed to train with their clubs and attend stadiums as spectators.
Reminder: Quique Sánchez Flores was officially appointed as the new head coach of Alavés.
