AFC Bans Timor Leste From Taking Part In 2023 Asian Cup

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 (Bernama) –- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has banned Timor Leste from taking part in the 2023 Asian Cup Football Championship after Amandio de Araujo, Timor Leste Football Association (FFTL) Secretary-General, was found to be falsifying documents for citizenship of Timor Leste players. AFC in a statement on Friday said an investigation by its Disciplinary Committee had found that 12 Brazillian-born footballers were registered with false birth and baptismal certification to play for Timor Leste in various football matches. "There was no proof to validate the players' citizenship in Timor Leste, hence the committee has ordered Amandio to be banned from football-related activity for a period of three years and fined US$9,000 (about RM40,000)," AFC said. The committee also decided to exclude Timor Leste from taking part in the 2023 Asian Cup and imposed a US$20,000 (RM89,000) fine. FFTL official Gelasio De Silva Carvalho was also fined US$3,000 (RM13,000) after the committee found that he brought the game into disrepute by attempting to interfere with witnesses (Timor Leste players). AFC claimed that the Timor Leste players had participated in a total of 29 matches falling under the AFC jurisdiction and seven matches falling under the jurisdiction of FIFA. Based on the outcome, AFC said all the results involving Timor Leste's home and away matches against Malaysia in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers play-off matches last June 2 and 6, and also three previous matches in 2015, to be forfeited. AFC will request FIFA to extend the decision against Amandio to get involved in football-related activities worldwide and notify that the FFTL fielded ineligible players in seven FIFA matches. China and South Korea have reportedly expressed their interest to host the 2023 Asian Cup. --BERNAMA