FIFA has opened an investigation into Ecuador for allegedly falsifying documents in order to play defender Byron Castillo in World Cup qualification.
Last week Chile’s soccer federation filed an official complaint to FIFA alleging that Castillo was born in Colombia in 1995, rather than in Ecuador in 1998 as his birth certificate says.
Chile is hoping that FIFA will declare a forfeit in both of its matches against Ecuador in World Cup qualifying – an outcome that would see Chile reach the World Cup at Ecuador’s expense.
Castillo took part in eight World Cup qualifiers for Ecuador, which finished fourth in the CONMEBOL table and secured the final automatic berth at the 2022 World Cup.
In response to Chile’s complaint last week, Ecuador’s soccer federation released a statement emphatically denying the charges and insisting Castillo was an Ecuadorian citizen with all of the proper documentation necessary.
FIFA confirms investigation into Castillo and Ecuador
“As recently confirmed by FIFA, the Chilean Football Association has lodged a complaint with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in which it made a series of allegations concerning the possible falsification of documents granting Ecuadorian nationality to the player Byron David Castillo Segura, as well as the possible ineligibility of the said player to participate in eight qualifying matches of the national team of the Ecuadorian Football Association (FEF) in the preliminary competition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” read a FIFA statement.
“Bearing the above in mind, FIFA has decided to open disciplinary proceedings in relation to the potential ineligibility of Byron David Castillo Segura with regard to the above-mentioned matches. In this context, the FEF and the Peruvian Football Association have been invited to submit their positions to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
“Further details will follow in due course.”
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