The Chilean Football Federation petitioned FIFA on Thursday to rule on an Ecuador player’s eligibility, alleging that he used a fake passport and birth certificate, casting doubt on the Andean team’s participation in this year’s World Cup.
Chile claimed to have proof that Barcelona of Guayaquil’s full back was involved in the incident. Byron Castillo was born in Tumaco, Colombia, in 1995, rather than General Villamil Playas, Ecuador, as stated on his official documents.
Documents seen by Reuters that were cited in the FIFA application purport to reveal his ‘forged’ birth certificates as well as an internal Ecuadorean probe noting anomalies in his paperwork.
‘The FEF (Ecuadorean Federation) is clearly fully aware of all of this,” the Chilean federation said in a statement. “So much evidence cannot be ignored by the football world. These significant and irregular practises in player registration are unacceptable, especially when it comes to a global competition.’
It claimed it had provided FIFA documentation and requested an investigation. FIFA confirmed that it had ‘received an official complaint from the Chilean FA,’ but refused to elaborate.
Castillo had been confirmed as an Ecuadorean citizen, allowing him to play for the national team, according to reports from Ecuador in 2021.
Five months after the decision, which was publicised in the newspaper El Telegrafo, Castillo made his debut.
On Thursday, the Ecuadorean Football Federation refuted ‘unfounded rumours’ intended to destabilise the Ecuadorean Football Federation by individuals seeking to impede the country’s participation in the Qatar World Cup.
‘For all legal purposes, we must be categorical (and proclaim) that Byron Castillo is Ecuadorean,’ according to a statement.
Castillo’s apparent ineligibility could cause problems for Ecuador, one of four South American countries to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar in November and December.
Castillo appeared in eight of Ecuador’s 18 qualifying matches, scoring 14 of the team’s 26 points. The Andean squad came in fourth place in the 10-team qualifying table, earning the final automatic qualification position.
They risk missing out on a spot in Qatar if they lose points in the games where Castillo played.
Chile finished seventh with 19 points, but Eduardo Carlezzo, a lawyer for the Chilean FA, claimed that if the points from Castillo’s two games against Ecuador were awarded, Chile would be invited to the World Cup.
‘Chile should get the points and move up to fourth,” Carlezzo said. “We have an amazing amount of proof.’
Chile has now been involved in two World Cup qualifying seasons in a row.
Bolivia was penalised for fielding an ineligible player against Chile and Peru in the build-up to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with both teams winning 3-0.
Chile, who did not qualify, did not benefit from the points, but Peru, which qualified for the first time since 1982, did.
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