Three Players Dropped From Warriors’ Under-17 Squad After Failing MRI Age Tests

ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi has said that the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) age tests by CAF ensures that there is no age-cheating in junior teams.

Zimbabwe is set to host the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations/COSAFA Qualifiers from 11 to 20 September at The Heart Stadium and Ngoni Stadium.

The COSAFA Under-17 tournament also serves as a qualification pathway to the CAF Under-17 AFCON and, ultimately, to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Three teams are expected to progress to the CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Zimbabwe Under-17 technical team, led by Thulani Sibanda, has been working with 48 boys selected through a nationwide programme that took the coaches across all ten provinces.

The selection process also extended beyond Zimbabwe’s borders, with six players shortlisted from South Africa, one from Hong Kong, and Leeds United prospect Takudzwa Chinyowa from England.

The squad was reduced to 30 players last week. However, by yesterday, only 27 remained in camp after three players failed the mandatory MRI age tests.

The team will be further trimmed to the final 25, in line with tournament regulations.

Speaking during a visit to the Young Warriors’ training camp at Eaglesvale School in Harare on Tuesday, Magwizi said:

“COSAFA is one of the regions that, of course, is very strict in ensuring that whoever is going to represent their country must, of course, be of that age, and they will use MRI.

“Now, if a boy is almost 17, the MRI is going to read it as 17; they are no longer under-17. So, it’s a scientific process that, of course, has been incorporated into the process of ensuring that all our teams have players who are Under-17. So, if you are 16 and a half, I think the MRI will probably read you as Under-17.

“However, if you are a few weeks past your 17th birthday, chances are it will read you as 17 and then make you ineligible. But of course, that is very unfortunate for our boys.

“There are a few boys who, of course, due to that, have not made it, and they had to leave camp, which is very unfortunate for them. I feel sorry for them. But of course, those are the rules. We cannot change them.

“We are, of course, just the hosts; the administrators of the tournament are COSAFA, and it’s of course our prerogative to follow what the rules say.”

More: The Herald