By Administrator,

Rwanda footballers and fans dreams were shattered as shock waves hit Kigali and the entire country  on Sunday after learning a a severe punishment by CAF who disqualified them from the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifers.

What was taken lightly at the start  suddenly came back to haunt Rwanda like a colossus after a hard fought win over both Libya and Congo to qualify for the tough Afcon group stage qualifers.

Talented Dadi Birori formerly known as Tady Etekiama Agiti before moving to Rwanda in the early 90’s took a gamble that would later cost him and Rwanda  massively.Birori  attained the  name while featuring for Rwandan club Mukura Victory Club in 2007 was born in Kinshasa on December 12, 1986 and was known as Tady Etekiama Agiti before moving to Rwanda where his current passport PS023413 indicates that he was born on December 13, 1990.

A player who could scores when he was most needed Birori scored a fantastic hatrick that knocked out fancied Libya but the short lived joy suddenly turned to tears as Birori was first banned by CAF indifinately before Rwanda got the shocker after another disqualificati0on followed barely a day later.

A statement on the CAF website reads, “The Organizing Committee of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, August 17, 2014 disqualified Rwanda from the qualifiers of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2015.

The decision followed a protest made by the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) during the first leg match of the second round of qualifying played against Rwanda on 20 July 2014 in Pointe Noir.

The protest by Congo contested the eligibility of the player Birori Dady aligned with Rwanda, and plays for the AS Vita Club of Kinshasa with Congolese (DRC) passport as Etekiama Agiti Tady, and a different age.

Following investigations by CAF and on the basis of documents provided by the federations of Rwanda, Congo and DR Congo, and hearing the player’s testimony on 11 August 2014 at CAF headquarters in Cairo, CAF established that the two identities only referred to a single person.

While the Rwandan Football Federation (Ferwafa) maintained that to their knowledge the player Dady Birori had one identity, investigations revealed that he was summoned as Etekiama Agiti Tady by Ferwafa to join the national team of Rwanda.

Based on these and other findings, the Organizing Committee of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations in accordance with Article 41 of the regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, and Articles 82 and 83.1 of CAF Disciplinary Code, decided as follows:

1. Immediately suspend the player Etekiama Agiti Dady/Dady Birori until further notice and ban him from playing for club and the national team.
2. Rwanda declared losers of No.37 against Congo, and consequently being eliminated from the competition.
3. Consign Congo to the group phase of the qualifiers of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations – Morocco in 2015 in Group A, as replacement from Rwanda.
4. Reserved the right to confirm the exact length of the player’s suspension and to impose additional sanctions if necessary at the next meeting of the Organizing Committee scheduled for 17 September 2014.
5. Urged players and stakeholders to regulate the situation of dual identity.
6. The decision of the Committee takes effect immediately and with option for appeal in accoardance with the regulatory provisions in force in CAF Disciplinary Code.”

Rwanda shocked  Congo Brazzaville 2-0 in Kigali to tie the aggregate score 2-2 before dominating a penalty shootout that saw the Amavubi book the last slot in Group A of the last round of qualification for the continental competition.

Congo Brazzaville now joins Nigeria, South Africa and Sudan in Group A.

However FERWAFA have indicated they will appeal the disqualification.

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com