Ghana appeals Africa U17 Championship disqualification, insists player not overage

Published on: 27 October 2014
Ghana appeals Africa U17 Championship disqualification, insists player not overage
Cameroon protested against Ghana players using this mode

Ghana have appealed against the decision by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to ban the country from next year's Africa U17 Championship in Niger claiming that they fielded an overage player in their final qualifier against Cameroon.

The Ghana Football Association sent its immediate appeal to the CAF Appeals Committee on Sunday, just hours after CAF had them of the notice to disqualify them from the tournament.

CAF ruled that one player from the Black Starlets team that played in the first-leg of the final round of the qualifier was overage after the Cameroonians protested against SEVEN PLAYERS in the Ghana team.

But the ruling by CAF has been strongly disputed by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) who says two MRI report on the player – one in the presence of a CAF medical officer – by the Consultant Radiologist in Ghana indicates that he is fully within the age category.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) disqualified the Black Starlets in a letter sent to the GFA on Saturday after Cameroon protested about the eligibility of seven players in the Ghana.

Using reports from MRI scans, CAF declared that six players fall within the age category but requested the last player to take another scan in the presence of a CAF medical officer sent from Cairo.

While the Radiologist Consultant, who carried out both the initial MRI tests and rescanning confirmed that the said player was within the age limit, CAF said the opinion contradicts the analysis of two CAF medical experts on the eligibility of the player.

Using the opinions of two of its medical officers on the result of the MRI scan, CAF ruled that the player is overage but the GFA says the opinion of other experts shows the player is qualified to play resulting in the appeal.

"The Ghana Football Association is dissatisfied with the decision of the CAF U-17 Organising Committee and has accordingly filed an appeal with the CAF Appeals Committee," the GFA said in a statement on Sunday.

Ghana beat Cameroon 5-3 on aggregate in the final round of the qualifiers last month to qualify for the tournament which will be held in Niger.

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