Good news for Ecuador: National player Byron Castillo is innocent according to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. Proceedings had been initiated against the 23-year-old, which could have cost his country participation in the World Cup. This has now been dropped.
Ecuador can rejoice – at least for the time being. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has dismissed a protest by the Chilean association over the allegedly banned use of defender Byron Castillo. This was announced by the world governing body on Friday. Nothing now stands in the way of “La Tri” participating in the World Cup in Qatar for the time being.
But what actually happened? The 23-year-old international Byron Castillo was reportedly not eligible to play for his country Ecuador. The Chileans even had a Colombian birth certificate with a forged date of birth up their sleeve, it is said. Chile hoped that all eight matches involving Castillo would be annulled and that they would be allowed to go to the World Cup in Qatar in fourth place.
This will not happen. There is no possible infringement by the defender. “After examining all the documents received from the parties, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to close the disciplinary proceedings initiated against the FEF,” the world governing body announced. In 2021, the Ecuadorian judiciary already ordered Castillo to be issued with a new birth certificate with place of birth in Ecuador. Only then was he called up to the national squad for the World Cup qualifiers. “We cannot take any risks in international competitions,” said the vice-president of the Ecuadorian football federation Carlos Manzur at the time. There was controversy nonetheless. But a first case has now been dropped.
The Netherlands, Senegal and Qatar are waiting for Ecuador at the World Cup
Fortan the decision can still be appealed to the Appeals Commission of the world governing body. Ecuador had qualified for a World Cup finals for the fourth time and will face hosts Qatar, the Netherlands and Senegal in Group A. Chile, on the other hand, are out of the World Cup for the second time in a row.
