Cameroon has suspended a player they took to the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Ivory Coast earlier this year, allegedly for falsifying his name and date of birth, which could lead to their future expulsion from the tournament.
On Monday, the Cameroonian federation named Wilfried Nathan Douala as one of the 62 players suspended from the championship due to administrative irregularities, including identity fraud and age falsification.
Coach Rigobert Song had selected 17-year-old Douala, a relatively unknown player from the second division club Victoria United, with no prior international experience. When the first photos of the player surfaced, social media also heavily debated whether he was indeed a teenager.
An investigation by the French newspaper Le Monde revealed that Douala had previously played in the Cameroonian league under the name Alexandre Bardelli and was over 21 years old. The newspaper said it had asked the Cameroonian Federation to explain the irregularity before departing for Ivory Coast, but the organization declined to comment. Douala did not play in the CAN but was listed in the squad.
The tournament regulations state that in case of fraud or falsification, the concerned national association will be suspended from participating in the next two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. For any administrative error in player registration, the concerned national association will be suspended from participating in the following edition, the rules add.
The Confederation of African Football has been contacted for comment on the matter.
