1. Zero-tolerance policy

1.1 MYSA adopted and has applied a zero-tolerance policy on overage cheating since it started in 1987. In applying that policy MYSA staff carefully check the ages and identities of all players for Kenyan and international youth tournaments in several different ways.

2. Verification of age and identity

2.1 MYSA coaches and staff verify the age and identity of a player using the following six methods:

• All players must provide documentary proof of their age and birthdate (e.g. birth certificates, baptism cards, school certificates, etc);
• The player’s parents or guardian must complete and sign a special form stating the date and place of birth of the player which also contains this statement that “it is against Kenyan law to provide false information for a passport application”;
• The headmaster of the player’s school must also complete and sign a special form stating the date and place of birth of the player in the school records and also contains the same warning statement as in the parent’s form;
• All MYSA teams complete a team list every year with the names and birthdates of all players which every player must sign and those records are also checked;
• If there are any differences in the ages recorded in any of the above documents and records, the birth certificate is also checked against the official government registry records;
• The school records are also checked to confirm the date and age of the player when starting primary school.

3. Penalties

• If the above verification measures and investigations reveal any serious discrepancies or doubts, then the player is dropped and not selected.
• If a player provided any false information or documents, the player is immediately suspended.
• Any player who submits false information to MYSA is automatically suspended for at least one year and cannot join a Mathare United youth team for at least two years.
• Any coach or leader who knowingly allowed or assisted a player to cheat is immediately suspended and, if a staff member, is summarily dismissed for gross misconduct.

4. Norway Cup rules

• The Norway Cup tournament rules specifically allow teams to include overage players. Depending on the age group, teams are allowed to have up to four (4) overage players but can only field two (2) overage players at the same time.
• Despite being allowed to do so, MYSA still does not knowingly select any overage players. All players for Norway Cup teams are selected according to the exact age group in which they will compete (e.g. U13 boys, U14 girls and U16 boys).