Hearts defender in age-cheating controversy after receiving call-up to Ghana’s U-23 team

Christopher Bonney, a defender of Ghana Premier League giant Accra Hearts of Oak’s invitation to the Black Meteors as they prepare for the Africa U23 Championship double-header against Algeria has sparked age-cheating controversy.

Bonney who came into the limelight in 2013 while playing for Ebusua Dwarfs has been a subject of discussion regarding age-cheating after his inclusion in the U23 national football team of Ghana, with some journalists having waded into the controversy, accusing the former Asante Kotoko defender of fogging his birth certificate.

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Although his current documents show he was born on 22^nd November, 1998 put him in the age bracket for the U23 Championship, transfer market which also keeps data on professional football indicates that the player was born on 4^th July, 1992, which places him outside the age bracket for the competition.

The variation is his age has sparked a debate over the age of the Hearts of Oak right full back after his call-up to Ghana’s U23 football team for the Africa U23 Championship double-header against Algeria.

Per Christopher Bonney’s date of birth on his document, he played for Ebusua Dwarfs in the Ghana Premier League at age of 15 and even earned a call-up to the Black Stars B.

Some Ghanaian have therefore questioned the validity of his age and it has raised an alarm.

Ghana suffered a global embarrassment after CAF disqualified the country from playing at the Africa U17 Championship in Niger in 2015 for fielding an ineligible player.

The U23 players invited are as follows;

GOAL KEEPERS

Kwame Baah – Asante Kotoko

Richmond Ayi – Hearts of Oak

Kumson Augustine – Crystal Palace

DEFENDERS

Christopher Bonny – Hearts of Oak

William Denkyi – Hearts of Oak

Evans Mensah – Kotoko

Issah Yakubu – Dreams FC

Ali Ouattara – Medeama FC

Kojo Amoako – Ashanti Gold FC

Kodjou Emmanuel – Attram de Visser Academy

Zakaria Fuseini – Brekum Chelsea

Michael Agbekornu – Dreams FC

Caleb Amankwaa – Aduana Stars

Habib Mohammed – Asante Kotoko

MIDFIELDERS

Briama Forster –Brekum Chelsea

Abdul Nuredeen – Vision FC

Yussif Oduro – Okyeman Planners

Nasiru Hamza – Inter Allies FC

STRIKERS

Akese Akese – Nzema Kotoko

Kwame Opoku – Nkwransa Warriors

Adiwah Peter Ernest – Emmanuel FC

Eric Dupey – Star Madrid