Wilfried Nathan Doualla: ‘At Least 23 Is Good’, Angry Fans Blast Cameroon Winger for Age Cheating

• Wilfried Nathan Douala is among the 62 players suspended Cameroonian players
• '17-year-old' Douala was disqualified for age fraud after playing in the Elite League
• Fans have since launched an attack on the Indomitable Lions winger's social media

The Cameroonian Football Federation, on Monday, March 11, took a strict stance against age fraud in football by suspending 62 players.

Among the suspended included the youngest member of their squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, Wilfried Nathan Douala.

Douala's inclusion in the squad raised eyebrows, with many surprised by his age claim of 17.

However, investigations by FECAFOOT revealed that the Victoria United skipper had misled people about his age, leading to his disqualification from participating in the Elite League's play-off games.

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"62 players, including Nathan Douala and several other internationals, are provisionally declared ineligible by FECAFOOT for the play-offs for dual identity," said the Federation, as reported on the AllezLesLions Twitter handle.

The move reflects a broader effort to tackle administrative issues plaguing Cameroonian football. The federation aims to maintain transparency and integrity within the sport, particularly in light of previous scandals. Reports suggest that some players may have misrepresented their ages by as much as 10 years.

The suspension has hit various teams across the league, with Yong Sports Academy being the most affected, followed closely by Victoria United and AS Fortuna. Several other teams have also been impacted, with five or fewer players suspended.

This isn't the first time Cameroon has faced such controversy. Similar scandals occurred in 2022 and 2023, prompting the football federation to take decisive action., as reported by Daily Mail.

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Fans took to social media to slam Douala following the news, with some even reverting to his earlier Instagram posts.

One Kalise Le Petrolier commented: “Suspended my brother you are not 17 years old Tchai it's too abused at least 23 it's good when you yourself look you think it's good 17 years old”.

Another comment from @wesleisilva13 read, “17 years of football right buddy? LOL”

Another scandal brings African football into disrepute

Sports Brief reported Liberia's removal from the 2023 U17 AFCON qualifiers.

Two players in the team reportedly failed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

MRI machines have been used to scan the wrists of players to accurately as to ascertain their true age accurately