AFCON U20 rocked by age cheating allegations

The U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, currently underway in Egypt, has been rocked by allegations of age cheating.

The Tanzanian team had just lost to Sierra Leone 1-0 in Ismailia, and the West Africans, making their debut in the tournament, became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals.

"These are local players, most of them are playing the second division or the first division. Even this team, Sierra Leone, if you see them, they are a bit bigger and age-wise it's not under 20 if you see but we put more effort now to build up this youth program so that in the future we come up with a good and strong side," Mkwasa said.

Age cheating in African football has long been a serious concern, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) look to have won the fight when they introduced the MRI scans. 

But this can only work up to the U17 boys’ level and not beyond that.

Zambia U20 head coach Boyd Mulandwa says the cancer of age cheating can be damaging to the game and the players.

READ: Furious Nasreddine Nabi hits back at journalist amid pressure to deliver in Nedbank final

"But on our side, it's just to encourage the boys to keep fighting. It's a youth tournament, we expect youth to be playing against youth, but if you bring people who are not in that category, it becomes difficult for others,” Mulandwa said.

“The others just get intimidated by just looking at someone, they can tell that this guy is older than me, and it's gonna be difficult for me to challenge him."

The semifinalists at this U20 AFCON qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile in September this year.

Amajita play Sierra Leone, in their next game on Tuesday.

But it’s not just Sierra Leone that is suspected or accused of age cheating in this tournament.

Tanzania also have registered three players, who have confirmed ages on other relevant platforms.

Two players appeared on the Tanzanian league as 22-year-olds and another one as a 23year-old, but they have been registered as U20 players in this tournament.

Mulandwa says the biggest challenge is that age cheating is difficult to prove in some instances.

"But for the boys to develop their careers. The age, some of them, when you look at them, they don't look to be under 20, but there's nothing that we can do because we are not the ones who have produced those documents from their parents. Their parents are in a good position to say these guys are 20 or not,” Mulandwa added.