Ghana suspicion as Equatorial Guinea drops 'men' for Women's World Cup

Published on: 22 June 2011

Two key Equatorial Guinea players, Ghana accused of being men at the African Women’s Championship (AWC) in South Africa last year, have been dropped from the country's final squad for the World Cup.

This has raised eyebrows over the gender cheating suspicion levelled against Equatorial Guinea as fresh allegations at this week's tournament in Germany could lead to a gender test.

The Guineans dropped two of their star players - Salimata and Bilguisa Simpore from their final squad without any explanation.

The 'sisters' were key players for the Guinean side at the 2010 African Women's Championship in South Africa, but were hit by controversy after they were accused of being men by members of the Ghana side.

Salimata Simpore, Bilguisa Simpore and team captain Genoveva Ayonmang were in 2008 suspected to be boys before the allegation resurfaced last year.

Indeed, against Ghana, both Simpore and Ayonmang were looking too strong for their opponents, with the latter’s goal for her team’s second of the game a shot any male goalkeeper could have found difficult stopping.

Black Queens’ captain, Okoe, said no one would make her yield in her belief that Simpore was “a boy playing in a girls’ game.”

She said: “It is not as if we are throwing sour grapes just because we have lost. Rather, this is the fact and it is up to the organisers to do something about this. It is not good for African women football."

Black Queens' captain Florence Okoe said at the time: "It is not as if we are throwing sour grapes, just because we have lost.

"Rather, this is the fact and it is up to the organisers to do something about this. It is not good for African women's football.''

The allegations have never been proven and CAF have refused to comment on the matter, but question marks remain over the pair's withdrawal from the tournament.

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