Cameroonian football has been rocked by an age fraud scandal with 21 from a squad of 30 players potentially being too old to feature for the Under-17 side.
The squad were set to play in the UNIFFAC tournament, a competition for young national teams from central Africa. Ahead of the event, Cameroon’s Under-17s were sent for MRI tests and all but nine results have raised suspicion.
The scan can be used to determine age by scanning wrists and measuring bone growth. Cameroon have not been disqualified but need to find a host of new players with their preparations in tatters.
A statement from the Cameroonian FA read:
“21 players out of the 30 currently training have failed at the results 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 (Cameroonian Football Federation) acting under the mandate of the executive committee.
“FECAFOOT urges all parties, in particular educators, to ensure that the ages by category are respected.”
It has provided the Cameroon federation’s president Samuel Eto’o with another nightmare as he aims to put an end to age fraud in the national team.
The former Barcelona and Chelsea striker, 41, took over a year ago and he has already had to deal with a similar problem. Back in the summer, Cameroon’s federation called 44 players from eight clubs for a hearing into alleged identity cheating.
The country has also received criticism for not revealing the list of selected players for the Under-20 team. Many of Cameroon’s triumphs at youth level have come with allegations of them using over-age players.
Eto’o and the authorities are doing their best to investigate after the federation has been accused of turning a blind eye in the past.
Age fraud is not a new issue for African football, Guinea were disqualified from the Under-17 World Cup in 2019 after two of their players were found guilty of being too old.
