AFF U15 Championship: Timor leste linked with alleged age fraud

The Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) has carried out an investigation into a suspected age-fraud by U15 Timor Leste in AFF U.15 Championship this year taking place in Chonburi (Thailand).

Previously, after 2 matches of full victory (beting Philippines 7-1 and defeat Myanmar 3-1) in Group A, U15 Timor Leste was accused of captain Sebastián Sebasti Gali Da Costa Freitas being alleged age fraud. The striker scored 4 goals in the Philippines victory is said to be 22 years old.

The skepticism originates from a number of websites that show in the Timor Leste national list for AFF Cup 2018 has a player sharing the same appearance as well as name with Paulo  of the Under-15 team competing in Thailand.

Meanwhile, the TransferMarkt.com lists Paulo has passed the age of 22, born on December 31, 1996.

“Two days ago, on the 29th of July, the AFF received an official protest from a participating team regarding the eligibility of a player in the ongoing AFF Under-15 Championship,” the governing body of football in ASEAN said in the statement.

“The protest was admitted upon compliance of the procedural requirements set out in the AFF U15 Championship 2019 Tournament Regulations. The AFF is carrying out the necessary investigation and have requested the parties to collaborate to establish the facts,” it said.

In the remaining matches of this group, U15 Vietnam defeated  U15 Singapore with a score of 1-0 thanks to Le Minh Toan's goal to continue to take third place with 6 points,  2 points higher than U15 Myanmar