Archford Gutu, Cliff Anotida Sekete, Knowledge Machona and Brian Katsuruware were part of the 35 players blacklisted by the previous Zifa Board after they voluntarily opted out of the “Greulich and Pyle method” (bone-testing) to determine their actual ages in the run up to the Under-17 African Youth Championships. The previous Zifa Board ruled that the players would not be called to any junior teams, as their ages were a “mystery”.However, a year later four players who were part of that scandal have been called to duty for the Young Warriors tie against Zambia in the All Africa Games qualifier.
Acting Zifa chief executive officer told Standardsport that they could not take action against the players, as there was no “proper handover-takevover” with the previous board.
“There was no proper handover-takeover with the previous board as such because the current board cannot take action against the said players. There was just a media release to that effect (ban) but there is no paper in Zifa’s hands of that resolution,” Mashingaidze said. He added that the current Zifa Board was also aware of the legal minefield in pursuing the case.
“It’s not just about the players cheating. It’s also about the officials who facilitated the players in getting these passports. There is need for a tribunal to be set-up and establish what could have transpired,” Mashingaidze said.
The players are holders of valid passports, which the previous Zifa Board said were acquired under a cloud. Gutu is the holder of passport number BN295469 that expires on September 27 2017 that states that he was born on August 5 1993, which would mean he is 17-years-old.
The other player who was blacklisted but has found himself being called to have another dance with the Young Warriors is Eagles’ Katsuruware. He also opted out of bone-testing in 2009 during the African Youth Championships campaign. He is the holder of passport number BN618890, which states that he was born on November 16 1992, which would make him 18.
Gunners’ Cliff Sekete is yet another player who was blacklisted and is the holder of passport number BN692197 which indicates that he was born on September 7 1992. The other player blacklisted is Eagles’ Knowledge Machona holder of passport number BN622302 that indicates that he was born on April 13 1992.
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The previous Zifa board blacklisted 35 players, who refused to go for bone-testing to determine their age in 2009 before the African Youth Championships. Zimbabwe ended up fielding a new team for the championships finals in Gambia.
However, the team of cheats was the one that qualified for the finals led by Gutu as the captain.
The only players who went for the test and were cleared were Pride Zivengwa, Temptation Chiunga, Talent Chawapiwa, Elijah Soko and Ray Lunga but surprisingly they have not been called to the national junior teams.
Zimbabwe is taking a gamble by fielding blacklisted players in the All Africa Games qualifiers, which is open to players Under-23. Age cheating in youth football is as old as the Kilimanjaro due to the lack of technology to test the players in most countries. The players are often subjected to random scientific age tests at finals of the youth championships.
