October 9 – Jamshedpur FC’s teenager Gourav Mukhi scored a goal within minutes of coming off the bench this weekend against Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League, but the 16-year-old sensation’s age has been questioned as the ugly spectre of age cheating rears its head again in Indian football.
Mukhi grabbed all the headlines in Indian football and the Indian Super League (ISL) website even proclaimed him to be the youngest ever goalscorer, awarding him the emerging player of the match. However, fans, media and pundits have doubts over Mukhi’s age.
In 2015, Mukhi was one of five players found overage in the U-15 sub-junior Jharkhand team, according to media reports. Mukhi, who scored five goals as Jharkhand beat Goa 8-3 in the final, was suspended for one year and the state football federation was fined one lakh rupees ($1,350) as punishment.
As such the maths don’t add up: if he was 15 in 2015, he can’t be 16 in 2018.
On Tuesday, the All India Football Federation, the AIFF, issued a statement saying: “…Mukhi who had earlier given a declaration that his DOB (date of birth) was 04/05/1999 has now submitted documents…referring that his DOB is 04/05/2002” and that the discrepancies will be referred to the relevant authorities for further action.”
“We will pass on the matter to the relevant committees – the players status committee first or the disciplinary committee to look into the discrepancy regarding his age,” said AIFF general secretary Kushal Das. “The discrepancy is regarding his passport which shows that he is 2002 born and a statement he issued in 2015 which stated that he is 1999 born.”
Contact the writer of this story Samindra Kunti at moc.l1713516412labto1713516412ofdlr1713516412owedi1713516412sni@o1713516412fni1713516412
