ECUADOR have kept their place in the World Cup Finals – after a Fifa panel ruled defender Byron Castillo WAS eligible to play for the country.
South American rivals Chile had claimed Castillo was not a legitimate player because he was actually born in Colombia and is three years older than his documents suggest.
The initial case ended in a victory for Castillo and Ecuador in June but a formal appeal was launched as Chile insisted they had “compelling evidence” of their case.
Chile demanded Ecuador forfeit all eight qualification games in which Castillo had featured with a 3-0 defeat, which would have seen them jump from seventh to fourth in the 10-team table and take the last automatic South American qualification place.
That would have meant Chile replaced Ecuador alongside Qatar, Netherlands and Senegal in Group A and been potential last 16 opponents for England or Wales.
Chile’s case was bolstered as it emerged Castillo had made admissions about his birthplace and age in an interview with Ecuadorean officials in 2018.
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Castillo declined to attend, either in person or virtually, for the hearing by Fifa’s Appeal Committee in Zurich on Thursday.
But less than 20 hours after the hearing was ended, Fifa announced the verdict which gives Ecuador the Qatar 2022 green light.
Fifa said: “Having analysed the submissions of all parties and after a hearing had been conducted, the Appeal Committee confirmed the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to close the proceedings initiated against the Ecuadorean Football Association.
“Amongst other considerations, it deemed that on the basis of the documents presented, the player was to be considered as holding permanent Ecuadorian nationality in accordance with Fifa Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes.”
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The statement confirmed Fifa had informed the Ecadorean, Chilean and Peruvian FAs – who had joined Chile in appealing the initial decision – while world chiefs anticipated a further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But with barely two months to the opening game of the World Cup – which will be Qatar versus Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium north of Doha – it seems unlikely that the appeal verdict will be overturned.
According to Sky, though, Chile have confirmed they’ll go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
A statement read: “The weight of evidence is clear & we urge the (FIFA) Appeal Committee to deliver the grounds of the decision very quickly because there were enough unjustifiable delays”
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