The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has dismissed a petition from Nigeria seeking the disqualification of the U23 team of Guinea on the grounds that, they fielded an overaged player in the qualifiers for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations, OGN reports.
Nigeria’s U23 team were eliminated by Guinea in the final round of the qualifiers for the CAF U23 Nations Cup, which is the tournament that will produce teams to represent the continent at the next Olympic Games. Guinea held Nigeria to a goalless draw in the first leg match in Abuja last March and won 2-0 in the return leg played away from home in Morocco.
The NFF protested against Guinea claiming that one of the players – Alsény Soumah a player of Horoya AC – was overaged.
CAF has now thrown out the protest by Nigeria as Guinea was able to establish that Nigeria’s claim was based on mistaken identity as there were two different players with the name Alsény Soumah.
Guinea have been given the all clear to take part in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Osas Mahawi
