Tanzania U20 men’s national team coach Boniface Mkwasa has voiced concerns over the age eligibility of some Sierra Leone players, suggesting that certain members of the squad may be older than the U20 limit.
His remarks come in the wake of Tanzania’s 1-0 defeat to Sierra Leone at the ongoing U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt. The loss saw Sierra Leone, who are making their tournament debut, become the first team to book a place in the quarterfinals. They had earlier drawn 0-0 with Zambia before securing an emphatic 4-1 victory over hosts Egypt in Group A.
The tournament has been marred by renewed allegations of age cheating, a long-standing issue in African youth football. Mkwasa’s comments have added fuel to the conversation, as calls grow for stricter enforcement of age verification protocols.
“These are local players; most of them are playing in the second division or the first division. Even this team, Sierra Leone, if you see them, they are a bit bigger and age-wise, it’s not under 20 if you see but we put more effort now to build up this youth program so that in the future we come up with a good and strong side,” Mkwasa said.
Zambia’s coach on age-cheating
Mkwasa is not alone; Zambia U20 head coach Boyd Mulandwa also commented on the allegation of age cheating, stating, “This is a youth tournament and we expect youths to play against youths but if you bring people who are not in that category, it becomes difficult for others.”
Age cheating has been a long-standing issue in African youth football. The introduction of MRI scans by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) helped address the problem—but only at the U17 boys’ level, as the scans aren’t effective beyond that age group.
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