FIFA has set a date for Chile’s appeal over the World Cup player from Ecuador

The logo of FIFA is seen at the headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, September 30, 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/Files

MANCHESTER, England, Sept 1 (Reuters) – FIFA will hold an appeal hearing on September 15 in the case of an Ecuadorian player Chile claims was ineligible to play during World Cup qualifying, governing body Reuters said on Thursday .

The Chilean Football Federation has appealed the June 10 FIFA decision to dismiss its complaint that Byron Castillo of Ecuador was born in Tumaco, Colombia, in 1995 and not in the Ecuadorian town of General Villamil Playas in 1998, as stated in its official documents is called.

Castillo played in eight of Ecuador’s 18 qualifiers for the Qatar World Cup. Ecuador denied the player was ineligible to play.

FIFA said it had asked the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) to make Castillo available for the appeal hearing.

The Chilean Football Federation (ANPF) appealed the decision on July 1 and recently asked FIFA to speed up the process.

Ecuador collected 14 of their 26 points in games played by Castillo. If they lost points for the games Castillo appeared in, they would have missed out on a spot in Qatar.

Ecuador are in Group A alongside hosts Qatar, Senegal and the Netherlands. The World Cup begins on November 21.

Eduardo Carlezzo, the lawyer representing the Chilean Football Federation in its FIFA appeal, told Reuters in an email that the governing body called Castillo personally to testify.

“We thank FIFA for this clarity surrounding our appeal hearing and for calling Byron Castillo to answer the many questions they must have regarding his eligibility and therefore Ecuador’s qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.” he wrote.

“We have provided FIFA with a significant amount of evidence proving that the player was born in Colombia and his Ecuadorian birth certificate is forged. On September 15th, Byron Castillo will finally have an opportunity to explain the situation and then, in the spirit of fair play, justice can take place.”

Reporting by Simon Evans Edited by Toby Davis

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