Mogadishu (Somalistandard) – Abdihafid Mohamed, a top striker for Somalia’s U17 national team, has been left off the official roster for the upcoming TotalEnergies U17 African Cup of Nations after failing an MRI screening that verifies players’ ages.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) uses MRI scans to check players’ wrists and determine their age, and preliminary screenings conducted by SCANADU in Addis Ababa and Mogadishu suggested that Abdihafid had not yet reached the elimination stage 6.
The Somali Football Federation is requesting additional evidence regarding Abdihafid’s test results, including the MRI scan results.
Abdihafid, who plays for Elman in the Somali Premier League and was named Best Player in the Tournament during Somalia’s CECAFA victory in October, will likely miss the U17 African Cup of Nations, which is set to take place from April 29 to May 19, 2023.
Somalia is scheduled to play against host nation Algeria, Senegal, and Congo in Group A, led by Coach Nur Mohamed Amin. The CAF Executive Committee recently approved a recommendation to amend Article 27 of the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, which mandates eligibility tests, including MRI scans, for all participating teams. Under the new rules, Somalia cannot replace Abdihafid if he is deemed ineligible.
In recent years, several teams have been disqualified from regional qualifiers due to over-aged players, including Chad, Djibouti, and Sudan in the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers last year.
Somalia will begin their AFCON campaign in the tournament opener in Algiers on April 29, with matches against Congo and Senegal to follow.
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