For the very first time, a Pan-African-Interschool Championship was held in DR Congo. There were invitations to African countries to participate in this championship and out of the countries that honored this invitation, Democratic Republic of Congo, the host of the tournament, eventually emerged as the winners of the tournament after the U16 team of Senegal was beaten in the final by the U16 team of DR Congo.
This victory of theirs has got many lovers of football talking and poking their deservingness of the trophy, after pictures of the tournament were aired.
The captain of the winning side, Elia Balamwabo, who is allegedly 15 years old won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament after leading his team to victory in the tournament.
What has got so many football lovers talking is the fact that, looking at the photos of the two teams, it is very evident that, the Senegalese look way younger than the Congolese. A team of teenagers represented Senegal in the tournament while the other team of the pitch were full-grown men in Congolese outfit to fight for the same trophy. It is no surprise that, the Senegalese lost to a team that looked twice their age.
The incident has brought so much talking points about the credibility of the systems that checked the birth certificates of the Congolese. FIFA and CAF have been put to question about the organization of an U16 tournament that saw full-grown men partaking in.
Africa is unfortunately tagged with sentiments of cheat and this incident is no exception. This happens in so many African fields of organization and it is disheartening to know that, those that deserve things do not end up being the owners, but those that are favored by systems are left to complacency and injustice.
What is your say on this incident? Do you think DR Congo should be stripped off their trophy and given to Senegal or they deserve it?
By: Agyemang Francis Hilbrands.