KUALA LUMPUR: The controversy over Malaysian national defender Facundo Garces’ (pic) nationality has deepened following a report by Argentine outlet Capital de Noticias claiming official proof that his ancestry is fully Argentine, The Sun reported.
The report cited a birth certificate allegedly obtained from Argentina’s National Archive, showing Garces’ grandfather, Carlos Rogelio Fernandez, was born in Santa Fe in 1930.
Fifa’s ongoing investigation reportedly corroborated the document, confirming through the Santa Fe Civil Registry that Fernandez was born in Villa Maria Selva, not Penang as stated earlier by the Football Association of Malaysia.
The registry record also indicated that both Fernandez’s mother and Garces’ great-grandmother were Argentine, nullifying previous claims of Malaysian lineage.
Capital de Noticias further alleged that Garces and six other players misrepresented their ancestry, resulting in Fifa fining FAM RM1.9 million and banning all seven players for 12 months.