Soccer’s global governing body Friday rejected claims by rivals that Ecuador fielded an ineligible player in World Cup qualifiers, clearing the way for the South American country to play in the men’s tournament this year.
Almost nine weeks before Ecuador will face host Qatar in the opening match, FIFA’s appeal committee ruled that, “on the basis of the documents presented, the player was to be considered as holding permanent Ecuadorian nationality” and eligible to represent the country.
Chile and Peru, the top candidates to replace Ecuador in the tournament, had claimed that defender Byron Castillo was born in Colombia, not Ecuador, and therefore should not have been allowed to play in the qualifiers.