Jamshedpur FC footballer Gourav Mukhi was on Sunday handed a six-month suspension by the All India Football Federation’s disciplinary committee for age fraud.
A release from the Indian football board stated that its disciplinary committee found the player guilty on the basis of the evidence presented by him, his admissions and the statements of the manager of the U-16 AIFF academy in 2015.
It isn’t yet clear whether the suspension is valid only for the Indian Super League or for all competitions under the AIFF’s umbrella. Scroll.in is trying to confirm the same.
Social media was filled with theories and statements about Mukhi’s actual age, following the match between Bengaluru FC and Jameshedpur. Mukhi, who scored in the game, is 16 years old on paper.
Mukhi had been summoned to the Indian national camp for the Under-17 World Cup in 2015 but he, along with four teammates from the U-15 nationals-winning Jharkhand team, had admitted they were over-age.
In addition, the AIFF Disciplinary Committee also observed that the existing registration of Gourav Mukhi, both in the Central Registration System as well as the Competition Management System, shall stand cancelled and revoked with immediate effect. The player can submit original valid appropriate documents for fresh registration under both systems, the release said.
Earlier, Jamshedpur FC had denied all claims of their player being over-age.