Rwanda Appeals Disqualification from 2015 AFCON Qualifiers Amid Identity Controversy
The race for qualification in Group A of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to be held in Morocco, remains unresolved as Rwanda formally appeals its recent disqualification.
The Rwandan Football Federation submitted its appeal on August 19 after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled against them over the eligibility of striker Dady Birori, also known as Etekiama Agiti Tady. The controversy centers around the player reportedly using two different identities — one for his club, AS Vita Club, and another for the national team.
CAF had disqualified Rwanda on August 17 following a complaint filed by Congo after their 2-0 defeat to Rwanda on July 20. Congo lodged a regulatory protest over Birori’s identity, which led to the CAF Organising Committee’s decision to expel Rwanda and reinstate Congo in Group A for the final round of qualifiers.
The appeal will be reviewed on Wednesday, August 27, at 10:00 a.m. local time in Cairo, where a disciplinary panel is expected to rule on the matter. Rwanda hopes to overturn the decision and reclaim their place in the competition, which remains fiercely contested.
The case has cast a spotlight on identity verification and player registration in African football, with CAF under pressure to ensure the integrity of its qualification process ahead of next year’s tournament.
