ASABA/Nigeria: In a startling turn of events, Gordon Ogbe, the Head Coach of the Team Delta state soccer team, has lodged a vehement protest against what he alleges to be rampant age cheating by players from Team Kaduna. This protest comes on the heels of a disheartening 5-0 defeat to the Northern Warriors, a match that has left Ogbe fuming with accusations.
Ogbe didn’t mince his words as he argued, “The Team Kaduna players are far older in age and body size than what is acceptable for this level of competition.” He went on to highlight a glaring disparity in the screening process, attributing it to Team Kaduna’s late arrival in Asaba.
“We have already sent our protest to the appropriate authorities,” Ogbe declared. “The players of Team Kaduna are far older in age and bigger in size, casting doubt on the fairness of the competition.”
Ogbe also shed light on the unequal screening procedures that the two teams underwent. “Team Kaduna did not go through the rigorous screening exercise that other states had to undergo. Team Delta was screened with the use of National Identification Numbers (NIN), and that left us with only 12 players, in stark contrast to Team Kaduna’s 18 players who apparently did not pass through the same screening process.”
The controversy doesn’t appear to be isolated, as Ogbe pointed out, “Other states are also protesting against Team Kaduna soccer players.”
In an earlier match, the Delta female football team faced a similar setback, succumbing to the high-pressing game of their Lagos counterparts in a quarter-final encounter, ending in a 5-0 defeat.
These allegations of age cheating and a lack of uniformity in screening processes raise important questions about the integrity of the ongoing tournament, leaving sports enthusiasts eager for further investigations and clarifications.
