May 30 – Disagreements concerning over-age players is nothing new but to suggest a player is 25 years older than he actually is is surely unprecedented.
The Italian football federation (FIGC) has dismissed allegations that Lazio’s Cameroon youth team player Joseph Minala is in fact somewhat past retirement age.
African website senego.net reported in February that Minala, who made his Serie A debut against Sampdoria in April and made two further appearances last season, had altered his passport and would now be 42.
But in a statement, the Italian FA said: “The federal prosecutor has examined the reports of the allegations and decided to dismiss the case in the light of concrete evidence over the age of the player Joseph Minala.”
“There are no doubts about his age. He is 17.”
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