Abeokuta 2025: Age cheating rocks Team Ethiopia

Ethiopian Athletics Federation

The Ethiopian Athletics Federation has been plunged into controversy after its rigorous age verification exercise ahead of the 2025 Confederation of African Athletics U-18 and U-20 Championships in Nigeria resulted in the disqualification of majority of us.

Of the 76 athletes initially slated to represent Ethiopia at the continental showpiece scheduled for July 16 to 20 in Abeokuta, only 22 have been deemed eligible to compete following a multi-layered age assessment process. This includes just six male and 16 female athletes.

The federation, confirmed that the verification, conducted at the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Unit of the Ethiopian Police Hospital, involved multiple scientific assessments.

These included MRI scans, dental development examinations, bone imaging through radiographic analysis, and evaluations of general physical development and academic history.

The verification exercise exposed widespread age discrepancies across the Ethiopian squad. None of the male athletes registered in the U-18 category met the age requirement, with four reclassified to the U-20 division.

In the female U1-8 bracket, only two athletes were verified as under 18, while nine were found to be over the limit and shifted to the U-20 category.

For the U-20 division, only two of the registered male athletes passed the verification, with the remaining failing to meet eligibility standards.

Among the female athletes in the same category, just five were confirmed to be under the age threshold.

The Ethiopian Athletics Federation stated that the stringent procedures were carried out by medical professionals specialising in forensic medicine and imaging, and were aimed at ensuring that the athletes conform to age standards laid out by the Confederation of African Athletics. 

 “The Federation carried out age verification on 76 athletes through a combination of methods such as date of birth analysis, MRI scans, bone structure development, dental maturity, and school records,” the federation noted.

 “From the verified group, only 6 male and 16 female athletes, totalling 22, were found eligible to represent Ethiopia in Abeokuta.”

The age scandal emerged just weeks before the start of the championships, which Nigeria is hosting for the first time.

In preparation for the championships, the AFN has announced its national trials will take place from today to July 1 at the Gateway International Stadium in Sagamu, Ogun State.

The trials will serve as the final selection process for Nigeria’s team.

The AFN has also issued strict documentation requirements, including birth certificates, school leaving certificates, national identity slips, and WAEC results, with the warning that incomplete documentation will lead to disqualification.

Following the trials, selected athletes will proceed to a closed training camp to intensify preparations for the continental showpiece.

More than 800 young athletes from over 50 African countries are expected to compete in the combined U18 and U20 championship, which includes a wide range of track and field events. The event was originally scheduled for Oran, Algeria, before being moved to Abeokuta for unspecified reasons.

In contrast to Ethiopia’s setback, Kenya has concluded its national trials and plans to send a 45-member contingent to Abeokuta. The Kenyan team will go into a residential camp from today to July 13 before travelling to Nigeria.

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