KAMPALA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Council for East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) has disqualified Zanzibar's team from the Under-17 Championship in Burundi.
Nicholas Musonye, the CECAFA Secretary General told Xinhua on Monday that the regional football body made the decision late on Sunday after it discovered that Zanzibar breached the tournament rules and regulations by registering ineligible players.
"Zanzibar presentednine players over the age limit for their intended opening Group B match against Sudan on Sunday. The match was not played and the committee later found 12 players in total were born before 2002," said Musonye.
The team has been sent back home and fined 15,000 U.S. dollars.
"This money will be refunded to the Federation of International Football Associations who are the official sponsors of the tournament," said Musonye, noting that Zanzibar remains suspended from all CECAFA sanctioned tournaments until they pay the fine.
Ethiopia's U-17 team that beat Somalia 3-1 on Sunday was fined 5,000 U.S. dollars for using three ineligible players and they forfeit the match as a result.
"The committee recommended that the three Ethiopian players be expelled from the Championship and return home on the first available flight," Musonye said.
"It's our final advice to all member associations to always pay close attention to all correspondence sent to them to avoid such sanctions in future," Rogers Mulindwa, the CECAFA media manager added. Group B will now have only three teams: Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan.
The regional tournament started on Saturday with Kenya humbling hosts Burundi 4-0 before Uganda and Tanzania settled for a goalless draw on Sunday.
