December 7, 2023

OFC appeal Solomons decision to CAS

The saga of the Solomon Islands U17 team looks to have another chapter in it. Now the Oceania Football Confederation has appealed the OFC Appeal Committee’s decision to side with the Solomon Islands to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The saga of the Solomon Islands U17 team looks to have another chapter in it. Now the Oceania Football Confederation has appealed the OFC Appeal Committee’s decision to side with the Solomon Islands to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Solomon Island u16
The Solomon Islands U17 team at the OFC U16 Championship (Photo credit: OFC Media/Shane Wenzlick/www.phototek.nz)

That means the OFC are, for lack of a better word, suing themselves in the case of Chris Satu.

The case revolves around the Solomon Islands use of Chris Satu at the OFC U16 Championship. He was found to be overage after the tournament, where the Solomon Islands came second and qualified for the U17 World Cup in Brazil this fall.

The OFC Disciplinary Committee then disqualified the Solomons, meaning they would not go to the World Cup. This decision was appealed by the Solomons to the OFC Appeals Committee.

The OFC Appeal Committee then took the side of the Solomon Islands and the young boys looked set to go to the World Cup after all. But now the case has turned again.

The OFC has now lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, or CAS for short, with a request for an urgent hearing.

CAS is the final instance this case can be tried in.

There is so far no word on whether CAS will take the case or not.

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OFC lodge Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal

Oceania Football Confederation has lodged an appeal application with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the final appeal body, with a request for an urgent hearing regarding the eligibility case of Solomon Islands footballer Chris Satu.

Mr Satu played for the Solomon Islands’ team during the OFC U-16 Championship 2018, that was held from 9-22 September 2018 in Honiara.

In February 2019, the OFC Disciplinary Committee found the player in question to have been born prior to 1 January 2002, on an underdetermined date.

Mr Satu was found in breach of Article 59 (Forgery and Falsification) and Article 73  (Ineligibility) of the OFC Disciplinary Code.

The OFC Disciplinary Committee also found the Solomon Islands Football Federation to have breached the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 Regulations.

Solomon Islands Football Federation has exercised its right to appeal the decision of the OFC Disciplinary Committee and the OFC Appeal Committee upheld the appeal on 3 May 2019.

Ends

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