9 PLAYERS FAILED MRI TEST

MBABANE – The credibility of the MRI test remains questionable.

This follows news that nine players were dropped from the Under-17 squad which travelled to Port Elizabeth for the 2020 COSAFA Men’s Under-17s Championship after failing the MRI test.

According to highly-placed sources within the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), the MRI test was conducted on all players selected for the Under-17 squad prior to their departure for South Africa to determine if they were not over-age.

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses powerful magnets, radio waves, and a computer to make detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

Eswatini, alongside Botswana, Zimbabwe and Comoros Islands were banned from the tournament after failing the age eligibility test.

Sources have confided in this publication that the EFA was shocked and left puzzled after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Youth Competitions Committee made the decision to disqualify the four nations from the zonal qualifier tournament for the 2021 Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations on Friday.

Information gathered was to the effect that the EFA used MRI from one of the country’s reputable organisations’ health facility.

“The EFA engaged a specialist to do the MRI for age determination and nine players failed the test and were dropped from the travelling squad. Only those who had passed the MRI test travelled to Port Elizabeth,” confided a source.

It has been learned that the EFA are conducting their own investigations following the embarrassing situation and also seek to know the player or players implicated in this scandal.

EFA Medical Committee Chairman Dr Comfort Shongwe politely asked not to comment on the matter after highlighting that they had appealed the disqualification.

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“We cannot comment for now as it is a sub judice matter,” said Shongwe briefly. Also drawn for comment, EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe said the association had issued a statement on the matter and there was nothing more they had to say.

From the statement issued by the EFA, the association confirms that the players of the Eswatini Under-17s national team were taken through MRI testing, in a reputable health facility, with players having passed the MRI Tests ahead of the trip to South Africa. 

However, it does not state that some of the players failed the MRI test and had to be dropped from the travelling squad.

The EFA challenges the credibility of the MRI test and, through a communiqué, has insisted they will challenge the decision. 

Mbabane Highlanders’ Siwakhile Shongwe, who also formed part of the Under-17 squad, confirmed nine of the players were dropped before they left for Port Elizabeth because they failed the MRI test.

“We had to bring other players before we left. They didn’t want to show us the results when we wanted to see them as they claimed they were with COSAFA administration and even today, we do not know who is the one player they claim failed the MRI test,” said the player. 

Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga had also issued a statement that those found to be involved in the alleged national Under 17 age-cheating scandal would be dealt with accordingly.

He strongly condemned any form of cheating in sport and said they would stop at nothing to ensure that all who were involved in such and cheating in its entirety be removed from sport.

He said the EFA had informed them of their intention to appeal this verdict with the CAF and the ministry has taken a decision to await the finalisation of this appeal before taking any further action.

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