U17 AFCON: CAF Disqualifies South Sudan As 5 Players Fail MRI Test

U17 AFCON: CAF Disqualifies South Sudan As 5 Players Fail MRI Test 

By Niyi Busari

The Confederation of African Football CAF) on Saturday disqualified South Sudan from participating in the ongoing 2023 CAF U17 African Nations Cup, BSNSports.com.ng reports..

The team had conducted the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test 48 hours before the result showed that 5 players failed the test.

CAF in a letter dated 29th April and signed by the Director of Competition, Samson Adamu stated that Sudan will no longer participate in the 2023 CAF U17 AFCON following failure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test by five of their players. Meanwhile ahead of the competition CAF has warned that any country whose four or more players fail the test will be disqualified.

With this punishment, the participating teams are now 11 with Sudan bowing out. Sudan are in group C with Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) expressed its regret in a statement and acknowledged the decision made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

SSFA Spokesperson Albino Kuek Deng revealed the MRI test was conducted on 26 April and was intended to confirm that all players met the age eligibility criteria established by the competition’s regulations.

However, 48 hours after the test was conducted, the SSFA said they received a notification from CAF indicating that five players failed the MRI test and were deemed ineligible for participation in the competition.

It said two of these players had previously passed the MRI eligibility test in Ethiopia during the zonal qualifiers in September 2022.

Sudan were supposed to have their group opener against Cameroon but the game will not hold.