11 new Cameroon players fail age tests ordered by Samuel Eto'o after 21 were disqualified

A further 11 new Cameroon players have failed age tests ordered by Samuel Eto'o as the scandal rumbles on in the Central African country.

Earlier this week it was confirmed that 21 players representing the Cameroon Under 17 team had been disqualified for not passing age tests.

The nation have upcoming UNIFACC tournament fixtures where they take on Congo, Chad, DR Congo and Central African Republic.

The two top teams will secure qualification to the Under-17 Africa Cup Nations Cup in Algeria in April.

30 players were called up and required to have an MRI scan of the wrist, analysing the maturity and growth of bones.

These were introduced by FIFA at the 2009 Under 17 World Cup.

However, just nine were deemed eligible to play as 70 per cent of players did not pass. The Cameroonian Federation then put out a statement saying that "Steps were immediately taken" to find replacement players.

Yet, the BBC are now reporting that a whole new starting XI drafted in also failed the examinations, bringing the tally up to 32 and leaving Cameroon in a sticky situation just days before the qualifiers begin for Jean Pierre Fiala's side.

A total of 21 players from the Cameroon U17 national team have been removed from the camp with immediate effect after they failed MRI test, ahead of the regional tournament for Central African Football Federations' Union. pic.twitter.com/WBYoPOAvJD

— African Soccer Updates (@Africansoccerup) December 30, 2022

This type of predicament has happened before in Cameroon's youth ranks before. Six years ago, 14 players failed tests and were subsequently banned from participating in the Under 17 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

More recently, 44 players from eight clubs were called to a hearing relating to alleged false ages or identities as Eto'o tries to crack down on the age-cheating antics.

There's also the story of former Cameroon international Tobie Mimboe, who was found to be using 'Peter Pan' birth certificates.

He played at two Africa Cup Of Nations tournaments in 1996 and 1998 and had different dates of birth, indicating he got younger rather than older.