CAF orders MRI tests on U-17 players

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has directed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to subject players of the national U-17 team to mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests ahead of the qualifiers for the African championship.

The exercise, which is across board, is to curb the ‘age cheating menace’ which has blighted age competitions on the continent.

Information gathered by GNA Sports from the CAF Secretariat has it that the continent’s soccer controlling body has similarly sent out similar directives to the other 53-National affiliated Associations.

According to CAF, the decision to have all the players undergo MRI tests was reached by its Medical Committee, as an immediate way of ending age-cheating at the 2013 African U-17 Championship in Morocco.

“Age-checking is mandatory for all players that will participate in the qualifiers and the final phase of the championship.

“The age eligibility test will be performed by medical services of your association according to the protocol of F- Marc in health facility duly accredited in your country or a neighboring country where there is an MRI apparatus,” said CAF in a circular to the GFA.

The continental body has warned that players who skip the test will remain ineligible to participate in the tournament.

CAF, it will be recalled for the first time conducted MRI tests on players at the African U-17 Championship held in 20011 in Rwanda.**