Guinea’s U17 football team has been officially disqualified from the UFOA A 2024 tournament following the dismissal of their appeal. The West African Football Union, Zone A (UFOA A), upheld the initial ruling after conducting further age verification tests, confirming Guinea’s breach of the tournament’s regulations.
The disqualification came after tests, supervised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), revealed that a significant number of players in Guinea’s squad did not meet the required age criteria.
Guinea had lodged an appeal with hopes of overturning the decision, but the latest tests conducted on Monday confirmed that several players were ineligible.
“Guinea remains disqualified, with the number of ineligible players exceeding the allowable limit,” UFOA A stated.
The ruling brings an end to Guinea’s participation in the regional tournament, as the team had fielded players who failed to comply with the age restriction standards set for the competition.
The controversy first emerged after Guinea’s U17 team was flagged during routine age verification tests, commonly performed using MRI scans to detect players’ eligibility.
Following the initial findings, UFOA A took immediate action, leading to Guinea’s disqualification. The Guinean Football Federation, however, attempted to challenge the decision through a formal appeal.
Despite their efforts, the appeal has now been rejected, cementing Guinea’s disqualification and reinstating Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone in the tournament.
Both nations had been previously investigated, but the latest round of MRI testing cleared them of any infractions, allowing them to continue their participation.
This decision is a significant setback for Guinea, which had shown promise in the competition.
The disqualification not only ends their campaign but also raises questions about the integrity of youth football tournaments in the region, where age fraud has been a recurring issue.
The use of MRI testing has become a vital tool in combating the problem of age fraud in youth competitions.
The scans assess the development of a player’s wrist bones, providing an estimate of their true age.
CAF and its regional bodies, such as UFOA A, have increasingly relied on this method to enforce age restrictions and maintain fairness in youth football.
While Guinea faces the consequences of its violation, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone can now focus on progressing in the tournament without the shadow of disqualification.
The reinstatement of these teams highlights the importance of thorough and accurate testing to ensure that all participants adhere to the rules.
As the UFOA A U17 competition moves forward, the disqualification serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity of youth football in Africa.
For Guinea, this outcome marks a disappointing end to their hopes of competing in the 2024 edition, while Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone can look forward to continuing their journey in the tournament.
🚨C’est confirmé en appel !
Contrairement à la Sierra Leone et la Guinée Bissau, la Guinée U17 reste bien disqualifiée pour les qualifications de l’UFOA A.
En effet, le nombre de joueurs guinéens inéligibles est supérieur à la norme (4). pic.twitter.com/MsOslmB7yL
— 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲́𝗲𝗻𝘀 🇬🇳🐘 (@Joueurs_GN) October 22, 2024
