Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has disqualified seven teams – including semifinalists Nepal, Afghanistan and Hong Kong from the ACC U-15 Elite Cup 2007 for fielding over-age players. In absence of eight teams, the remaining two teams Singapore and Kuwait will contest for the title on Monday, December 2, an ACC press release added.
“Following the conclusion of the group stage on November 30, the only two countries with less than three over-age players in their squads are Kuwait and Singapore,†the ACC release states. “… that leaves only Kuwait and Singapore eligible for further competition. It is they who will contest the final.â€
“In the instances where more than two players in each squad [consisting 14 players] have been found to be over-age, those teams have been disqualified from the competition,†ACC said. ACC had already disqualified UAE for not meeting the playing conditions rules that requires at least two passport holders of the country represented.
The decision was taken after the results of the Age-Verification Program conducted in Nepal during the event. “140 radiology examinations have been conducted in Nepal since the teams’ arrival with all the players from the ten participating teams,†the release said. According to ACC, some teams were found to have seven, eight or nine over-age players.
ACC, who introduced age-verification program in May 2005 to ensure that all competitors would be meeting on a fair and equitable basis, establishes a player’s bone-age maturity using Skeleton Maturity-TW3 method. The cut-off birthdates for the event was July 1, 1992.
“Our Age-Verification protocols have been tested and proven to work. We stand by the results found,†Haq said. “In the long-run cricket in Asia will benefit. Results such as this should act as an eye-opener to all our members.â€
ACC has not clarified about the ranking and the two teams to be relegated to the lower division, the U-15 Challenge Cup in the statement.
RUTHLESS DECISION
Hong Kong coach Sher Lama termed the decision as ruthless one. “This is absolutely a ruthless decision,†he said.
“This is wrong time to take such decision. Since ACC knew this tournament is coming long ago, they should have done tests long before the tournament, not during the tournament,†he said.
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) president Binaya Raj Pandey said he was surprised by the decision.
“It came as a big surprise to us, because we have provided all the necessary documents of the players to ACC prior to the event and they didn’t say anything on that,†Pandey reacted. “We did the tests of all players ourselves before choosing the team.â€
Pandey added it’s bad for both the teams and organizer. “Either it should be done before the event starts or it should be done after completion,†he added. “Disgracing young kids is not good.â€
Here is the complete ACC Press Release issued on Saturday evening:
ACC PRESS RELEASE
U-15 ACC ELITE AGE-VERIFICATION PROGRAM RESULTS ISSUED
Kuala Lumpur, December 1 2007
The results of the Age-Verification Program conducted in Nepal during the ACC U-15 Elite Cup have been released. 140 radiology examinations have been conducted in Nepal since the teams’ arrival with all the players from the ten participating teams.
The Asian Cricket Council Age-Verification Program has been in place for all age-group competitions since May 2005. It was introduced to ensure that all competitors would be meeting on a fair and equitable basis on the criteria of actual age.
Age-discrepancies among competitors lead to performance advantages for older players and injury-risks for the younger ones. The Asian Cricket Council’s U-15 Tournaments, as with its U-17 and U-19 tournaments are held to be just that – for those players who are the appropriate age.
As it is commonly understood that in Asia, many players and Associations are unaware of their actual date of birth, the Age-Verification program establishes a player’s bone-age maturity using the Assessment of Skeletal Maturity-TW3 method. The cut-off date for players’ birthdates is July 1,1992 for this tournament. No player with a physiological or administrative age earlier than this date is eligible to play in the 2007 ACC U-15 tournament.
All countries were asked to provide the appropriate medical data on each of their players before the tournament started. They did not comply. Following bone-age examinations of all players in Kathmandu, a number from all the participating teams – Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Thailand – have been found to be over the age-limit criteria. Each participating country consists of 14 squad-members. In the instances where more than two players in each squad have been found to be over-age, those teams have been disqualified from the competition.
Following the conclusion of the group stage on November 30, the only two countries with less than three over-age players in their squads are Kuwait and Singapore. In some instances, participating squads have had seven, eight and nine over-age players.
With the tournament having passed the group-stages, that leaves only Kuwait and Singapore eligible for further competition. It is they who will contest the Final on Monday December 3rd .
Syed Ashraful Huq the Chief Executive of the Asian Cricket Council said, “Our Age-Verification protocols have been tested and proven to work. We stand by the results found and take heart that the integrity of our tournaments is assured. In the long-run cricket in Asia will benefit. Results such as this should act as an eye-opener to all our members. Our principles will always remain true to the secure development of cricket.â€
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what is this?
I heard CAN had done alot for age problem then what happen to it?
Actually i surprised to know that 7 of our players are from last edition of tournament.
Now it is turn to our U19 team where this question will be asked again.
A good player is not more essential than country’s prestise and participation of the tournament.
I feel, all players have to admit, his involvment in team is not more important than country’s prestise if you are over age.
why the acc not annoced this action in the frist of the match we think that afghanistan win this game and they are the frist
this is very good rule but not time to end of tunarment. this rule has to bfore of start game na??
Acc’s age-verification results coming at the fag end of tournament has come at a very wrong time. Accepted, there were many over-age players and unqualified to participate in the tournament but this age-verification process should have been completed prior to the start of the tournament and not now. ACC’s s Technically speaking, this tournament should be declared null and void, due to age-verification revelation factor. If not, then how come a knocked-out team Kuwait is qualified to play in the finals? Whereas Singapore having qualified for semi-final is being pitted against knocked out team Kuwait?
I reckon something has really gone haywire and ACC should use its leverage in good faith and extricate the current tournament from the womb of whirlpool, to say the least.
In future, ACC should make it mandatory and a strict rule that age-verification procedure is completed prior before the start of the tournament along with other requirements of players registration as it happened with UAE case.
I know, at the moment, everybody is shell-shocked by the harsh decision of ACC, which is very natural. ACC should have been more alert and acted promptly prior to the start of the tournament and not at the end.
Sanjeev Lama
Freelance Cricket Commentator
Kathmandu, Nepal
i thought that the decision was fair enough. You need a winner for under 15 level not any one above that. It was clear that Nepal would emerge as the winners but then it was unfair with other teams like Singapore. They would have also send their under 17 guyz and would have easily won the tournament. I was wondering when i looked at the pictures that whether these guyz are under 15. To me thats rubbish, a player must except this and how can these guyz be satisified after scoring tons of runs against these babies. They should think that they are caught cheating and i am very happy that now we will get the rite winner, who truely deserve. I have this feeling that singapore will lift the title and rightly deserve so. I thought the tournamnet should still continue, the teams should have now send right guyz who r under 15 and tournanament would have continued. PITY, a sad end to a tournamnet. no one excepted this.
I think its very bad decision taken by the ACC. Each time ACC brings this type of obstacles in cricket. It didnt allow Nepal to play Asia cup. Now, it had done this step when the league matches are over. ACC dont think what will happen to the players.
It would had been good if it brought this issue before the game. It also should perform the age verification before the game such that each team will send their appropriate players.
Now its the time of CAN to think carefully in this issue. If it will happen again then cricket wont be developed in Nepal. We are in the door of U-19 world cup wehre we are going to play with Australia and Srilanka. If this happen in that game too then all the fans will be so disappointed. So, i want to request the selection board please select the right players in the future. Its the lesson to you.
This time its the eight countries who are being disqualified. Next time it may be only Nepal since our board doesnt take it seriously before the game. So friends, lets give pressure to CAN such that we can see the right players playing for their country and achieving success…
coool yar
Right decision by ACC but should have done prior to the start of tournament.
Or should have called the current tournament as “U-19″ or like that.
HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LITTLE CHAMPS ” SINGAPORE” GOOD LUCK FOR THE FUTURE, U-17, U19, ODIs and EVEN UPTO TEST LEVEL. WE NEED MORE & MORE TEAMS FOR ODIs & TEST CRICKET.
Very Very disappointed regarding HK Team to be disqualified due they had put so much effort to play three matches & was already in Semi Final how can the decision been in last minute why not it was in the beginning of the tournment, very bad decision
Well done ACC for showing the right path for the development of the game.
UNPROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALISM
Dear Sir,
I know how much ACC want the integrity of tournaments to be assured. I really appreciate everything ACC has done to bring cricket to these heights. However, I really need to speak my mind about something that has terribly shocked me. I am shell shocked by the rude and ridiculous decision of ACC as they have disqualified eight out of ten teams in the Under 15-Elite Cup. I would like to express my disappointment in two parts.
A- First of all if ACC have noted that all the teams are having players over the age-limit then why at all Kuwait and Singapore are playing the finals. It ridicules their decision and also reflects the unprofessional attitude of the ACC decision makers. If even a single player is over age why at all individuals are taking decisions of their personal liking. If they are really so concerned of the rules then they should stick to them and disqualify all the teams they believe is having overage players and declare this tournament as “NULL and VOID”. .
B- Secondly ACC has affiliated the different Cricket Associations of the participating countries on certain criteria. It seems that ACC do not even trust the hard working and dedicated members of these associations that verify and ensure that they send their respective teams as per the tournament requirements. What to say of associations ACC is trying to prove that even the government authorities that have issued the respective passports of the players are also not fair. It goes beyond saying that even they don’t trust the doctors that have certified the bone age of the participating players. ACC is trying to prove that even the parents of the participating players are also unfair in stating the age of their children. If the entire mechanism is unfair (as ACC is trying to prove) then can ACC officials let us know on what basis we can believe that ACC is fair in what they are trying to prove?
I don’t want to be a sneak but ACC should have ensured that such issue had not taken place at all by not allowing the team’s to participate if the participating teams did not fulfill the eligibility criteria. UAE that was disqualified, at the beginning of the tournament was allowed to play all the matches without results (WHAT FOR). International tournament is a serious business. Is this how we conduct international event. In the same way it is strange that only eight out of ten teams are disqualified after they have completed all their league matches. And to add to the miseries two disqualified teams are allowed to play the finals (VERY FUNNY).
Is this how cricket will be promoted in future. Lot of time, efforts and money is consumed in participating in such events. Let us ensure that such sincere efforts of players, coaches, members of all cricket associations do not go waste by such silly decisions.
May I request the ACC officials to mail me if this doesn’t make any sense to them, or just tell me that I’ve got the wrong end of the stick.
Affectionately
Dr. Aamir
I totally support the decision taken by ACC. I have read the comments and the objections that why Kuwait and Singapore teams were allowed to play the finals. You should have seen the Kuwait team before commenting this. I had. Honesty prevails.
Hi All,
Dr.Aamir! I am agree with you, this was not a thorough decision of the ACC they should have been stop over-age players before the single match being played by them, players public back homes are completely disappointed from this decision of the ACC, How come, why is it that. Kindly improve this miss-management and unprofessionalism of your organization, all the non test nations are looking forward and aspire, hopeful to you
We are so frustrated from the decision
Please for God sake do not repeat this in the future.
Thanks,
Ahmadzai
I think ACC should change the name of tournament to Body weight or Skeleton size tournament instead of U-15. I found in their test one player age 12years while your test says he is 14 years. Your test knows better than mother who give birth to that child or Hospital authority who have all documentations. I think we all parents should come together and fight for it.
Now I have read some comments from Kuwait parents. They suport ACC decision. Same problem you will also face in near future.
For your kind information this tournament is under 15 years.
As I know some players who are disqulified they are 14 years of age but their test shows age 16 or 17 years.
My son is only 12 years but their test says 14 years. Who knows better me or their machines. We have birth records british passport. I can challange their test report any time.
I think this is outrageous. I was following the tournament very closely and I do not think that CAN had not planned as to how the tournament was going to go.
Rather than blaming each other, ACC should make sure to get all the required docs. before commencing the tournament from the selected team management.