The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has expressed deep disappointment after receiving news from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that five of the national U17 players have failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) age test.
This failure has led to the disqualification of the Sierra Leone U17 team from the WAFU tournament, currently taking place in Senegal.
In a statement, the SLFA voiced its shock, especially since the team had already undergone MRI screening at EcoMed Advanced Medical Diagnostics in Freetown, Sierra Leone, prior to the tournament.
“The results of the pre-tournament MRI screening showed that all members of the squad had passed,” the SLFA explained, adding that this procedure had been used in previous tournaments, including in Senegal in 2020 and Mauritania in 2022, both of which saw a 100% pass rate.
The SLFA has responded swiftly, launching an official appeal.
“We have requested the names and scan results of the players identified as having failed the MRI tests,” the association stated, further requesting a possible retest to verify the results. To bolster its case, the SLFA has submitted the results from the pre-tests conducted in Sierra Leone.
“The SLFA remains committed to ensuring fair treatment for our national team and will pursue all avenues to resolve this matter transparently,” the statement read.
The association assured the public that it is doing everything possible to seek clarity and justice for the team.
Further updates will be shared as the SLFA continues its engagement with CAF.
