The Ghana Football Association says it will use all available means to appeal the two-year ban by CAF for age cheating.

Vice Chairman for the Black Starlets Management Committee, Winfred Osei insists independent MRI scan conducted on the player, Isaac Twum, indicated he falls within the acceptable age limit.

CAF has imposed a two-year ban on the country for fielding Isaac Twum, a player thought not fit to play in the under 17 competition. 

The ban followed a complaint lodged by Cameroun against seven Black Starlets on September 13, 2014 after the 1st leg match of the 3rd round of the U-17 Championship qualifiers which Ghana won away by 2-1. Out of the seven players, the CAF Medical Committee made adverse findings against two players. 

The continent’s football governing body subsequently requested a retest of the two players using the F-Marc procedure for age determination which was done in Ghana on 1st October, in the presence of a CAF Medical Committee member. 

The report indicated Isaac Twum is over-aged.

But Mr. Osei is confident Ghana will have the decision overturned as it is set to file an appeal. 

“We are very confident and convinced that justice will be on our side at the right time,” he stated on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Monday, October 27, 2014.

“We have never ever manipulated the system,” Mr. Osei told Kojo Yankson, host of the Show.

He added: “We will go as far as upholding our appeal…if it will take us to Court of Arbitration we will go”.

Speaking in support of the FA, is a member of the Medical Committee, Dr. Prince Pambuor who asserted that no member of the current under 17 team is aged beyond CAF’s acceptable limit.

“Every member of the team whose MRI was submitted to CAF is qualified to participate in the competition,” he said.

According to him, CAF based its judgment on the scan conducted in October as against that of the GFA which was done in March, 2014. 

“[The] MRI relevant in our case was done in March and all the players were under 17…that is why we are confident that the case will be overturned,” he said.