April 25, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, could be disqualified from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) if up to four players fail Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests that will be conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday.
The MRI tests are designed to curb age cheating in age-grade competitions. The tests work by using a powerful magnet and radio waves to create detailed images of the inside of the body. The images show the growth plates in the wrist, which are areas of cartilage that eventually turn into bone.
The fusion of the growth plates is a key indicator of age, and players who have fully fused growth plates are likely to be older than the age limit for the competition.
The tests are not 100% accurate, but they are considered to be the best available method of determining age in young athletes. CAF has adopted a new stringent disqualification rule that will see countries disqualified if four or more players fail the MRI test. If fewer than four players fail, only the players will be disqualified and the country will not be allowed to replace them.
Coach Nduka Ugbade will be hoping that his players pass the tests and that they can focus on the tournament that begins on April 29th. The Golden Eaglets are looking to win their third AFCON title, having previously won in 2001 and 2013.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
