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Angry Uhuru blasts FKF chiefs over age cheating saga


President Uhuru Kenyatta has blasted Football Kenya Federation chiefs for fielding over age players in the under 20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Kenya was earlier this week disqualified by the Confederation of African Football for fielding five over age players in the U20 qualification match away to Sudan in Khartoum.

UNACCEPTABLE

“This kind of issue is simply unacceptable for a federation of its caliber, and let us not sugar coat it – it is cheating. It is breaking the rules. And if the federation doesn’t not know the rules, then that is carelessness. It is regrettable that the actions of the federation led to the disqualification of our team from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,” President Kenyatta said.

Newly elected FKF president Nick Mwendwa (left) at the event in State House, Nairobi, on April 22, 2016. PHOTO | PSCU
Newly elected FKF president Nick Mwendwa (left) at the event in State House, Nairobi, on April 22, 2016. PHOTO | PSCU

President Kenyatta also said those who engage in contempt of the law will be punished.

“But let it also be clear that those who show contempt for the law will be punished. That applies not just to individual athletes and players but to teams too. I specifically single out the football federation which was recently accused of fielding over-age players,” Kenyatta added.

FIVE OVER-AGE PLAYERS

According to information released by the Confederation of African Football, Kenya was disqualified from the competition for fielding five players namely Erick Ouma Otieno (Gor Mahia) Nicholas Kipkurui (Zoo Kericho), Boniface Muchiri (Sony Sugar) Eugene Moses Mukangula (Thika United) and Theodore Kibet Kilele (Ligi Ndogo) deemed to be over 20 years old.

The five were born between June and September 1996, while Caf had determined that all players taking part in this competition should be born on or after January 1, 1997.

FKF’s head of youth Chris Amimo has however accused Caf of withholding information to the federation, a situation he says led to the disqualification.