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Wilfried Douala, hailed as the youngest player at AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, found himself embroiled in controversy over alleged age cheating and false identity, but has now been cleared.
Wilfried Douala made the news when he was identified as part of a group of 62 players suspended from the Cameroonian league due to age and identity fraud.
Le Monde raises suspicion about Douala
Media outlet Le Monde Afrique unearthed some revelations about his past, claiming that the 17-year-old was a player they had previously interviewed years before who went by the name Alexandre Bardelli at the time and was 21 years old.
The media outlet went ahead to cross-reference various sources, including social media profiles, physical attributes like tattoos and scars, and facial recognition software.
They established a link between the two identities, suggesting a deliberate attempt to alter age and identity.
Douala cleared of false identity allegation
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On March 10, the Cameroonian football federation announced the suspension of Douala from the first division championship on grounds of "false identity." At the time, it appeared as if the footballer’s journey was over after he had just begun to impress in the Cameroonian league with his club, Victoria United FC.
However, the 17-year-old has now been cleared of these accusations by the Cameroonian football federation and has been allowed to return to action. He has been cleared to play in the upcoming MTN Elite 2024 playoffs for Victoria, and his date of birth has been confirmed to be June 15, 2006, making him 17 years old.
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