Sierra Leone will not take part in this year’s Under-17 WAFU AFCON qualifiers in Senegal after they were found guilty of age cheating, as announced by the organising committee.
WAFU noted that as a result of the new rule set out in article 27.4 of the under-17 African Cup of Nations, regulations will be applied to these U17 national teams.
The New Rules state, 27.4 If after carrying out the eligibility test (IRM) for a participating team, for or more of it players deemed ineligible, the participant team will be disqualified.”
Consequently, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Guinea Bissau are disqualified from the WAFU U17 tournament in Senegal.”
Africa and Age Cheating
Guinea has a history of age cheating. In 2019, they were disqualified from the Under-17 World Cup in Brazil due to age violations at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which served as qualifiers.
Despite being runners-up at the U-17 Nations Cup in Tanzania in April, Guinea believed they had secured a World Cup spot by reaching the semi-finals.
In the same Senegeal in 2021, the Sierra Leone U17 side was disqualified over the same age manipulation due to a failed MRI test.
