A new age fraud scandal has rocked Cameroon when 21 members of their Under-17 team were banned due to the problem.
Recall that in the summer, the Cameroon football federation called 44 players from eight different teams to a hearing to discuss allegations of age or identity fraud, with expectations that president Samuel Eto’o would put a stop to the issue in the African nation.
The majority of the players chosen for this year’s UNIFACC competition, which was played by the Under-17 teams of Central African Football Federations’ Union countries, were banned after failing MRI testing, dealing Eto’o another setback in his fight to end the age fraud epidemic.
The exams scan the player’s wrists and measure the growth of their bones to establish their age.
A Cameroon statement read: ‘The Cameroonian Football Federation informs public opinion that as part of the preparations for the UNIFFAC Limbe 2023 tournament, qualifying for the next African U17 Nations Championship, 21 players out of the 30 currently on training have failed at the outcome of the MRI tests.
‘They were immediately removed from the group. Steps were immediately taken for their replacement.
‘This action is the result of strict instructions given by the President of FECAFOOT acting under the mandate of the COMEX, in order to put an end to the tampering with civil status records which have, in the past, tarnished the image of the apex body of the Cameroon football. FECAFOOT urges all actors, in particular educators, to ensure that the ages by category are respected.’
