17th August, 2014
The Organising Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), on Sunday disqualified Rwanda from the 2015 AFCON qualifiers.
A statement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), said the decision followed a protest lodged by the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT), after their match against Rwanda on July 20.
With this development, the Super Eagles will play Congo instead of Rwanda in their AFCON qualifiers on 6 September in Calabar.
“The protest followed the first leg match of the second round of qualifying played against Rwanda on 20 July 2014 in Pointe-Noire.
“It contested the eligibility of a player, Birori Dady aligned with Rwanda, who plays for AS Vita Club of Kinshasa with Congolese (DRC) passport as Etekiama Agiti Tady, and a different age.
“The disqualification decision followed investigations by CAF and on the basis of documents provided by the federations of Rwanda, Congo and DR Congo, and hearing the player’s testimony on 11 August.
“CAF established that the two identities only referred to a single person.
“The Rwandan Football Federation (FERWAFA) maintained that to their knowledge the player had one identity.
“However, investigations revealed that he was summoned as Etekiama Agiti Tady by FERWAFA to join the national team of Rwanda,” it said.
The statement said the organising committee, in accordance with Article 41 of the regulations of AFCON, and Articles 82 and 83.1 of CAF Disciplinary Code, suspended the player until further notice.
“We immediately suspend the player, Etekiama Agiti Tady / Birori Dady until further notice and ban him from playing for club and the national team.
“Rwanda are declared losers of the match against Congo, and consequently been eliminated from the competition.
“Also, we consign Congo to the group phase of the 2015 AFCON in Group A, as replacement for Rwanda.
“We reserve the right to confirm the exact length of the player’s suspension and to impose additional sanctions if necessary at the next meeting of the organising committee scheduled for 1 September 2014
“So, we urge players and stakeholders to regulate the situation of dual identity,” the statement said.
NAN reports that the 2015 AFCON is scheduled to hold in Morocco from January 17 to February 8.