Byron Castillo's Falsification of Nationality May Cost Ecuador 2022 World Cup Qualification

 

• The shocking document that could affect the 2022 Qatar World Cup: Ecuador qualified with a player that does not exist.

• Chile request the disqualification of the Ecuadorian national team for the World Cup.

FIFA "has invited the Ecuadorian Federation and the Peruvian Football Federation to present their positions to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee" in relation to the possible breach by Byron Castillo of the call-up criteria for eight matches he played with the Ecuadorian national team in the qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

FIFA thus responds to a complaint filed by the Chilean Federation before the Disciplinary Committee, in which it presented allegations about the possible falsification of documents granting Byron Castillo Ecuadorian nationality.

How did Ecuador reach the World Cup?

The Ecuadorian national team qualified directly for the World Cup, along with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, unlike Chile and Peru. The Peruvian team, which finished fifth behind Ecuador, will play in a play-off.

The defender was selected by Ecuadorian coach Gustavo Alfaro for the two matches against Paraguay and Chile and on one occasion against Uruguay, Bolivia, Venezuela and Argentina, key matches for the team to achieve one of the direct places for the World Cup. The Chilean Federation denounced on the 5th that there is "innumerable proofs that the player was born in Colombia".

How could Ecuador be punished?

"Investigations carried out in Ecuador, including a legal report by the National Directorate of Civil Registration, declared the existence of inconsistencies in the birth certificate presented by the player," said this body, which accused the Ecuadorian Federation of having "full knowledge" of the irregularities. A possible sanction by FIFA could imply the subtraction of points from Ecuador for the matches that Castillo played, which would alter the list of qualified players.

A technical legal report from Ecuador's national civil registry office states that Byron Castillo's birth registration in the Ecuadorian city of Guayas does not appear in the volume, page and record requested, according to an official document to which Efe had access.