Sports / Soccer
Storm brews over All Africa Games age cheats
17 Jan 2011 at 14:21hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's Young Warriors could be swimming in stormy waters after using three players in an All Africa Games qualifier that were blacklisted by the previous Zifa Board for age cheating.
Archford Gutu, Cliff Anotida Sekete, Knowledge Machona and Brian Katsaruware were part of the 35 players blacklisted by the previous Zifa Board after they voluntarily opted out of MRI bone-tests to determine their actual ages in the run up to the Under-17 African Youth Championships.
However, despite the blacklisting by the previous Zifa board the players have continued to be called up for the national junior teams. The players were part of the Zimbabwe squad that beat Zambia 3-2 in an All Africa Games qualifiers although their ages are a 'mystery'.
Investigations revealed that Katsaruware's records at Premiership side Eagles do not tally with those held by Zifa.
According to the Eagles' official website, Katsaruware was born on November 16 1990. His height is listed as 1,71m and weighs 69 kg. According to the passport (number BN618890) that he is using to turn up for the Young Warriors, he was born on November 16, 1992.
Sekete is the holder of passport number BN692197 which indicates that he was born on September 7, 1992. However, a former football coach at Budiriro 1 Primary School where Sekete did his primary education disputes his age.
"Cliff was one of my star players in 1999 when he was in Grade 6 at Budiriro 1 Primary. If we go by the official documents that he is using with the Young Warriors it means that he was seven years old in 1999 and doing Grade 6, which is not possible," said the coach who requested anonymity.
Archford Gutu, Cliff Anotida Sekete, Knowledge Machona and Brian Katsaruware were part of the 35 players blacklisted by the previous Zifa Board after they voluntarily opted out of MRI bone-tests to determine their actual ages in the run up to the Under-17 African Youth Championships.
However, despite the blacklisting by the previous Zifa board the players have continued to be called up for the national junior teams. The players were part of the Zimbabwe squad that beat Zambia 3-2 in an All Africa Games qualifiers although their ages are a 'mystery'.
Investigations revealed that Katsaruware's records at Premiership side Eagles do not tally with those held by Zifa.
According to the Eagles' official website, Katsaruware was born on November 16 1990. His height is listed as 1,71m and weighs 69 kg. According to the passport (number BN618890) that he is using to turn up for the Young Warriors, he was born on November 16, 1992.
Sekete is the holder of passport number BN692197 which indicates that he was born on September 7, 1992. However, a former football coach at Budiriro 1 Primary School where Sekete did his primary education disputes his age.
"Cliff was one of my star players in 1999 when he was in Grade 6 at Budiriro 1 Primary. If we go by the official documents that he is using with the Young Warriors it means that he was seven years old in 1999 and doing Grade 6, which is not possible," said the coach who requested anonymity.
Source - kickoff.com
