U-17 FIASCO AS 15 PLAYERS FAIL MRI TEST

13 June, 2012

RTU coach Mohammed Gargo - a product of FIFA U-17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The attempt of FIFA to crack down on "age cheats" at the Under-17 World Cup level is yielding significant results as over aged players are being forced out of the world competition to give fair opportunity to young players who otherwise were playing with bigger boys claimed to be 17 or younger.

Sources close to tufaghanafc.com indicated that 25 players selected for Ghana U-17 have been hit by an MRI scan results that FIFA had instructed Ghana to undertake prior to their first qualifying match.

Though Ghana met FIFA tomorrow June 15 deadline for submission of results, the nation however failed to keep all 25 players in camp as only 9 players survived the test.

The outcome of the Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results that was conducted in the national capital has created panic in the national camp as the players affected will be axed to save the nation from disgrace.

The MRI has been protested by some countries that have cited the inefficiency of the system but FIFA says they are determined to push ahead to ensure fair competition at the U-17 level.

Professor Jiri Dvorak, head of FIFA's medical assessment and research centre, said: "MRI of the wrist is a simple, reliable, valid and non-invasive method of age determination in young male football players.

"We can identify overage players at under-17 competitions at no risk to the individual. This is of considerable help both to member associations and FIFA."

FIFA began taking scans of young players' wrists in 2003 but has only now been able to judge age with 99% certainty.

The results from the Under-17 World Cups in 2003, 2005 and 2007, analysed retrospectively, showed that up to 35% of players were overage.