CHILE FURY OVER ECUADOR LET-OFF

CHILEAN football authorities said yesterday was a ‘dark day for football’ after FIFA dismissed a claim of ineligibility that would have seen Ecuador thrown out of the World Cup.

Chile lodged a complaint with the global governing body over Ecuador player Byron Castillo, who they claimed was not born in Ecuador and should not therefore have represented the country in World Cup qualifying.

Chile alleged Castillo was born in Colombia – something the player himself had seemed to confirm – and had cost them a spot in Qatar. A FIFA statement read: ‘Among other considerations, (the committee) deemed that on the basis of the documents presented, the player was to be considered as holding permanent Ecuadorian nationality.’

Jorge Yunge, general secretary of the Chilean FA, responded: ‘This is a dark day for football and for the credibility of the system. The footballing world heard a player who helped Ecuador qualify for the World Cup admit he was born in Colombia and gained an Ecuadorian passport using false information.’