Asia Sports Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 34 Week of 29 September 2025
(1) Soccer-Malaysian players banned after using forged documents to play qualifier vs Vietnam
Seven Malaysian players, including Facundo Garces, face a 12-month FIFA ban for forged documents in a 2027 Asian Cup qualifier. FAM plans to appeal, citing prior eligibility approval.
(2) Singapore Grand Prix: Max Verstappen’s late-season surge faces ‘bloody hot’ test
Verstappen’s Monza-Baku wins cut Piastri’s lead to 69 points, but Singapore’s heat and history challenge Red Bull’s surge, testing if the title chase becomes a three-way battle.
(3) Kai Tak set for full house as tickets for HK-Bangladesh Asian Cup clash gone in 90 minutes
HK-Bangladesh Asian Cup (14 October) will be held in Kai Tak Stadium with all tickets sold.
(4) WTT China Smash: Wang Chuqin’s Triple-Match Days
Wang Chuqin faces three matches daily at WTT China Smash, advancing to men’s doubles semifinals with Lin Shidong, and competing in singles and mixed doubles on October 2, 2025.
(1) Soccer-Malaysian players banned after using forged documents to play qualifier vs Vietnam
(Photo Credit: REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani)
Seven football players, including Facundo Garces (Deportivo Alaves), Gabriel Arrocha, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, were banned for 12 months by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee on Friday for using forged documentation to play in Malaysia’s 4-0 win against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifier on June 10, 2025. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) submitted falsified eligibility documents, breaching FIFA’s Disciplinary Code article 22 on forgery and falsification, leading to the players’ suspension from all football-related activities. The FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs ($438,651), and each player faced a 2,000 Swiss franc fine, with the eligibility issue referred to the FIFA Football Tribunal for further review.
The banned players, including Garces, a regular for LaLiga’s 10th-placed Alaves, and Figueiredo and Holgado, who scored in the match, were deemed ineligible after a complaint prompted FIFA’s investigation. The FAM, asserting that FIFA had previously confirmed the players’ eligibility, announced on Saturday its intent to appeal the decision, vowing to use all legal channels to protect the players and the national team. The controversy has raised questions about the integrity of Malaysia’s qualification process, as the win against Vietnam was a significant milestone in their Asian Cup campaign.
This ruling disrupts the players’ careers, particularly for those like Garces actively competing in top-tier leagues, and casts a shadow over Malaysia’s national team aspirations. The appeal process, to be handled by the FIFA Appeals Committee, will determine if the sanctions are upheld or overturned, while the referral to the Football Tribunal suggests ongoing scrutiny of the players’ eligibility to represent Malaysia. The incident highlights the stringent enforcement of FIFA’s regulations and the challenges national associations face in ensuring compliance with international eligibility standards.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/world-news/article/312714/
(2) Singapore Grand Prix: Max Verstappen’s late-season surge faces ‘bloody hot’ test
(Photo Credit: EPA)
Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver with 67 Formula 1 wins, enters the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix (October 3–5) on a high after back-to-back victories in Monza and Baku, narrowing his championship deficit to leader Oscar Piastri to 69 points with seven races and three sprints remaining. Lando Norris sits second, 25 points behind Piastri and 44 ahead of Verstappen, setting up a potential three-way title battle. However, Verstappen remains cautious, dismissing hype for a fifth consecutive crown, as Red Bull’s poor track record at the Marina Bay Street Circuit—where he has never won—looms large. The bumpy, high-downforce venue, notorious for extreme heat, humidity, and variable weather, demands physical endurance and could test Red Bull’s recent upgrades against McLaren’s dominance.
The race, the 18th round of the 2025 F1 season, arrives amid Verstappen’s resurgence, fueled by car improvements that helped him secure pole, fastest lap, and victory in Baku. Piastri leads with 324 points, but his Azerbaijan crash and Norris’s seventh-place finish allowed Verstappen to close the gap. Analysts note Singapore’s challenges for Red Bull, with only one win in the last nine years, contrasting Verstappen’s usual composure. McLaren, favored after consistent wins, faces pressure to respond, while Verstappen’s adaptability in tough conditions could reignite his campaign if Red Bull translates gains to this street circuit.
This “bloody hot” test, as Verstappen might quip, could define the season’s late surge. A strong result would validate Red Bull’s momentum and intensify the title fight, but Singapore’s unforgiving nature—demanding precision amid chaos—risks exposing vulnerabilities, potentially solidifying McLaren’s lead or handing Verstappen a breakthrough victory at a venue that has eluded him.
News Source: https://www.scmp.com/sport/formula-one-f1/article/3327496/singapore-grand-prix-max-verstappens-late-season-surge-faces-bloody-hot-test?module=top_story&pgtype=section
(3) Kai Tak set for full house as tickets for HK-Bangladesh Asian Cup clash gone in 90 minutes
(Photo Credit: The Standard)
A full and passionate crowd is expected at the Kai Tak Stadium on October 14, as the Hong Kong football team prepares for its highly anticipated Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh.
The match is set to be a major event, with all general admission tickets selling out in approximately an hour and a half following their release to the public. Demand was immense from the very start. Our reporter attempting to purchase tickets found over 23,000 people already in a virtual queue just half an hour after sales began, facing an estimated waiting time of more than an hour.
The upcoming match marks the senior team’s second fixture at the new Kai Tak pitch. Their debut in June was a historic and memorable occasion, where 42,570 fans witnessed Stephan Pereira score a last-gasp penalty to secure a dramatic victory over India. After their away trip to Dhaka, the team’s return to what promises to be another electrifying home atmosphere has generated significant excitement among the city’s football supporters.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/football/article/313093/Kai-Tak-set-for-full-house-as-tickets-for-HK-Bangladesh-Asian-Cup-clash-gone-in-90-minutes
(4) WTT China Smash: Wang Chuqin’s Triple-Match Days
(Photo Credit: Xinhua)
At the WTT China Smash in Beijing’s Shougang Park, Chinese table tennis star Wang Chuqin faced a gruelling schedule, competing in three matches daily for two consecutive days. On October 2, 2025, the fifth day of the main draw, the 25-year-old, alongside Lin Shidong, advanced to the men’s doubles semifinals, defeating teammates Yuan Licen and Xu Yingbin in a swift 24-minute, straight-set victory (11:4, 11:9, 11:7). The duo overcame early errors in the second set with a strategic timeout to secure the win.
Following his National Day triple—winning in men’s doubles round of 16, men’s singles second round, and mixed doubles quarterfinals—Wang faced another packed day. Later on October 2, he was set to play South Korea’s An Jaehyun in the men’s singles third round at 6:35 PM and then partner Sun Yingsha in the mixed doubles semifinals against Brazil’s Calderano/Takahashi at 8:55 PM, vying for a finals spot.
Wang’s endurance and skill highlight his pivotal role in China’s dominance at the tournament, with his men’s doubles success alongside Lin positioning them as strong contenders. The intense schedule tests his physical and mental resilience, drawing attention as he balances multiple events in this high-stakes competition.
News Source: https://www.stheadline.com/realtime-sport/3504844/
