More Cameroonian players fail age tests mandated by Federation boss Eto’o

11 more of Cameroon’s U-17 players have failed age tests enforced by the president of the country’s football federation, Samuel Eto’o.

21 of Cameroon’s initial 30-man squad for the upcoming UNIFACC tournament were disqualified after failing the tests.

On Friday, BBC Sport revealed that 11 new players had been ejected from the squad having failed the age tests.

Cameroon is now scrambling to find eligible players for the tournament, where they are scheduled to play Congo, Chad, DR Congo and Central African Republic.

The top two nations will qualify for the U-17 African Cup of Nations, set to be played in Algeria in April.

Eto’o, prior to being elected FECAFOOT President, had pledged to deal with the rampant cases of age cheating that had mired Cameroon’s reputation in youth football.

How the tests work

The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker has insisted that youth players be subject to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening before being allowed to compete for the country.

FIFA first introduced MRI scans at the 2009 Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

The MRI scans the wrist to study how advanced the bone structure is, thereby revealing whether a player is over a certain age.

 14 Cameroonian players were prevented from playing in the U-17 AFCON in 2017 after failing the tests, while 44 players from eight clubs in the country recently faced hearings over false ages and identities. 

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