The OFC Disciplinary Committee has found the Solomon Islands Football Federation and U-16 player Chris Satu to have breached both the OFC Disciplinary Code and the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 Regulations.
An investigation was launched into the possible breaches after the OFC Secretariat received official complaints regarding the fielding of overaged players during the OFC U-16 Championship held at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara from 9-22 September 2018.
The OFC Disciplinary Committee released its decision on Friday 15 February concluding that a “deliberate and serious breach of the OFC Disciplinary Code” had been made after the player in question, Mr Satu, was found to have been born prior to 1 January 2002, on an underdetermined date.
Mr Satu is found to be in breach of Article 73 and Article 59 (1) of the OFC Disciplinary Code and has been suspended for six matches under Article 59.
The Solomon Islands U-16 team will forfeit all the matches in which Mr Satu participated in during the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 – five matches in total – and will receive a fine of NZ$500 under Article 73 of the Disciplinary Code.
SIFF has been found in breach of Article 34 (2) of the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 Regulations.
The Solomon Islands U-16 team finished second behind New Zealand at the OFC U-16 Championship, qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2019. The findings of the OFC Disciplinary Committee in the matter of Chris Satu’s eligibility has resulted in the forfeiting of the team’s place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2019.
The OFC Executive Committee will meet to confirm which Member Association will replace Solomon Islands at this event.
Mr Satu and the Solomon Islands Football Federation have the right to appeal the decision of the OFC Disciplinary Committee in line with Articles 126 to 135 of the Disciplinary Code.