STORY:DANIEL A. AFORO
Age can’t be cheated
The question I asked myself everytime is, why some countries have disscociated itself from the FIFA U-17 competition, of which England is a perfect example.
I was told the answer to my headcahe was “age cheating.” Interesting, isnt it .
According to reports, some countries field overage players in those competitions, hence the need to withdraw rather than go and be mauled by those “overgrown” players.
Some soccer pundits have supported the alleged view oif the English while others have kicked against it for reason or the other.
In 2003, Kenya sparked controversy when Sports Minister, Najib Balala, disbanded the national under 17, Young Harembes which was engulfed with overage players.
Never in the history of football has anyone country ever owned up to age cheating. Such an honorable man need to be commended by all soccer loving fan and beyond.
Cheating in sports has been a major canker laying its ugly hands on the world’s most popular, football .
Many countries especially those from Africa have been major benefactors of age cheating tenchniques and have won laurels at major events.
Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt, even Brazil and Argentina have bowed to this shameful act.
It is now an open sceret that most sportsmen have two ages, thus real age and sport age.
When I enquired from a footballer of his age, he replied “are you talking about my football age or real age”. Isnt it pathetic .
Those are the players who excel at Juvenile championships, but always fizzle out at the expected hour.
Whereby those with “supposed right ages” start on a low pitch to the highest.
The likes of Luis Figo, Francesco Totti, Alesandro Del Piero,Xavi Hernandez, David Becham are still playing while the likes of Nii Odartey Lamptey, Isaac Asare, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Pius Ikedia and co are nowhere to be found on the soccer map.
Many players in their youthful days were touted as prospects to fill the shoes of world greats like Edson Arantes de Nascimento (Pele), Diego Maradona, Lius Nazario de Lima (Rolnaldo), Zinedine Zidane, and others. Years after there are no where to be found.
A colleague journalist once told me of an incident in Holland.
He told me that one African player felt sick and was put under juvenile medication since he claimed to be under 17.
But he was not responding to treatment till he boldly confirmed his rightful age to the officials for the right medication.
Many football associations have bloated their national juvenile teams to win laurels at all competitions.
Winning is not the main issue but it is important we practice the right thing for future successes.
Another way to curb this practice is the establishment of soccer academies and revive the existing ones to help groom players that would ensure the success of country.
The need to also pick some talented ones from the basic schools.
World football governing authority, FIFA, must severely punish countries that are found culpable very severely to serve as a deterrent to others.
The culprits in the act, the players, should also not be left out.
Players can help themselves if they provide their correct ages to officials when registering them or going for passports.
Every player, official should know that no one can cheat age, and no matter how they try AGE would still catch on them.
A word to a wise …………..