Published: Jul 06, 2016, 02:53 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 06, 2016, 11:25 PM (IST)
Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) will be enforcing some strict guidelines to avoid forgery by players trying to get into U-16 and U-19 squads. BCCI has issued guidelines to avoid inclusion of players faking their age. According to the new guidelines, a player can only play an Under-19 World Cup once. A player can play U-19 level for only two years. BCCI asks for at least three age proof from the players. The one who want to play for Under-16 will have to go through a ‘bone age determination test’. According to a letter accessed by the Indian Express written by Ajay Shirke (Honorary Secretary of BCCI), “There are some cricketers who enter at the under 19 age group level. Such players should submit at least three documents to support their date of birth if they are to be considered to participate in the under 19 tournament directly without having entered the BCCI circuit at the under 16 level. You are requested to discourage cricketers who submit birth certificates issued just a few years before. As per the Government of India rules, the birth has to be registered with in one year of the birth of the child.” ALSO READ: Cricket Australia suspends 3 over betting charges
Earlier at Under-16 level a TW3 (Tanner-Whiteshouse) test was conducted by BCCI. But for Under-19, birth certificates were demanded by the board which had to be officially registered within a year of birth. The authenticity of birth certificates and migrants have posed problems for the boards in past. Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) joint secretary Dr. P.V. Shetty brought into light some of the problems board has to face. Shetty said, “In a state like Uttar Pradesh, the schools don’t ask for any birth certificate which is not the case in Mumbai where parents will have to submit copy of birth certificate to respective schools. There has been cases earlier where players have played for Mumbai but didn’t have birth certificate. MCA has now strictly asked for birth certificate or else we don’t pick. Some got it but some couldn’t. In UP, a letter from mere Pradhan of the village is the proof of birth certificate but we don’t accept that.” ALSO READ: Nasser Hussain makes Guinness World Record for highest catch
Shirke has repeatedly has emphasised over authenticity of documents produced by players entering U-19 level and TW3 test for players entering U-16. Shirke wrote in his letter, “Under 16 is the formal entry point for players participating in the BCCI junior tournament and they have to undergo age verification process to be eligible. The age verification process involves bone rating-TW3 method. Only those who pass the bone rating are eligible to play in the under 16 tournaments.”
