Ecuador still eligible for World Cup after verdict on fake Byron Castillo birth certificate

2022-11-09 16:44

Ecuador still eligible for World Cup after verdict on fake Byron Castillo birth certificate


Ecuador is still eligible for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on the 8th ruled on Ecuador's alleged forgery of the birth certificate of international right-back Byron Castillo: Ecuador's World Cup qualification is still valid, but it will face a deduction of 3 World Cup points. Penalty and a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs.


CAS said in the report that Ecuador's three points will be deducted in the next World Cup qualification.


In May this year, the Chilean Football Federation (FFC) appealed to FIFA over the Ecuadorian national team's illegal use of players. They accused Baron Castillo of falsifying his birthplace and age—he was actually born in Tumaco, Colombia, not Ecuador as indicated by official documents; his actual age should be 27, not 24, Not eligible to play for Ecuador.


Castillo played 8 games on behalf of Ecuador in the South American World Qualifiers and is regarded as a major force for Ecuador to pass through Qatar. FFC requires FIFA to award all 8 World Preliminary matches in which Castillo will play in accordance with relevant regulations. Once the penalty is established, Chile, which ranks fourth in the World Preliminary Preliminaries, will benefit and enter the Qatar World Cup. After the appeal was dismissed by FIFA, they continued legal action against CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland.


CAS upheld FIFA's ruling. The judge believes: According to the documents submitted by the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF), Byron Castillo has been determined to have permanently acquired the nationality of the country and is eligible to play in the World Qualifiers.


On the other hand, although CAS admitted that Castillo's birth certificate was authentic, they also confirmed that it contained false information, in violation of Article 21 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. They therefore ruled that FEF must pay a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs, while deducting Ecuador's 3 points from the next World Qualifiers.


In this World Cup, Ecuador and Qatar, Senegal, and the Netherlands are in Group A, and they will play the opener with the hosts on November 20.