The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has stopped six players from taking part in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Tanzania after they failed MRI tests which determine their age and eligibility to take part.
Cameroon are the most affected team with three players failing the tests, while hosts Tanzania have two and Guinea one.
The U-17 Nations Cup kicked off on Sunday in Dar es Salaam with Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets beating Tanzania’s Serengeti Boys 5-4 in the opener.
The Uganda Cubs were set to face Angola in the second Group A match at the National Stadium.
In a letter dated 13 April – seen by the BBC and signed by Dr. Yacine Zerguini, the Vice President of Caf’s Medical Committee – the MRI tests were carried out between 10-12 April.
Pre-competition cardiac exam (PCCA) records were also used to see which players qualify for the tournament, in a bid to prevent any form of age-cheating.
The tournament in Tanzania also serves as qualifiers for the U-17 World Cup.
The best two teams from each group will automatically take their places at Fifa’s global showpiece event in Brazil later this year.
bbc.com