América de Cali has officially terminated the contract of Argentine forward Rodrigo Holgado after FIFA upheld a one-year suspension imposed on the player over the Malaysia eligibility scandal.
The decision follows FIFA’s disciplinary ruling, which found that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had falsified player documentation to enable several naturalised players to participate in official matches and remain eligible for the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
FIFA later uncovered the falsification and issued heavy sanctions — including a one-year global football ban and a financial penalty against the players involved, as well as a CHF350,000 (RM1.8 million) fine against FAM.
Although the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) filed an appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee, the decision was rejected, confirming that the bans for all seven players — including Holgado — would stand.
Upon receiving formal notification of the decision, América de Cali moved quickly to resolve the matter. The club’s management met with Holgado and his representatives to negotiate an early termination of his contract, which had been set to run for more than a year.
According to reports from Colombian media close to the club, the agreement was reached amicably on Tuesday morning, November 11, with both sides understanding the circumstances. While Holgado will not be able to play for any team until late 2026, América de Cali agreed to honour the salary obligations stipulated in the player’s contract.
Sources indicate that there was no legal dispute or conflict between América de Cali’s lawyers and Holgado’s camp. Both sides recognised the situation as beyond their control, given the global nature of the FIFA-imposed sanction.
The club reportedly wanted to act swiftly to maintain its squad’s stability and comply with all international football governance requirements.
With the suspension now in force, Holgado is expected to train individually to maintain his fitness and form. The 29-year-old forward hopes to return to professional football by September 2026, once his one-year ban officially concludes.
Holgado, who previously represented clubs in Argentina, Chile, and Malaysia, was one of seven players punished by FIFA for breaching Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code regarding the use of falsified documentation.
The other six players sanctioned are Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garcés, Jon Irazabal, João Figueiredo, Héctor Hevel, and Imanol Machuca.
Credit Photo : Simon Yap/SNE-Photo
