Serginho has been banned from K League for life for allegedly using a fake passport, while his club Gangwon FC has been fined 30 million Won (around €22.000), as reported by South Korean media.
Last year, Sergio Paulo Nascimento Filho, better known as Serginho, was under investigation by the National Police Agency’s foreign affairs division and immigration authorities at the Ministry of Justice for apparently holding a doctored passport.
Serginho claimed that he held dual citizenship of Brazil and Syria since his grandfather is of Syrian descent.
The midfielder joined Gangwon in last June through the league’s Asian player quota, which allows teams to have three foreign players, as well as one player from Asian Football Confederation member countries.
However, South Korean authorities suspect the 28-year-old footballer obtained a forged passport through a broker.