KARACHI, Dec 19: Asian soccer’s governing body has denied the Pakistan Football Federation the right to appeal against sanctions imposed for fielding over-age players in this year’s Asian under-17 championship, the PFF said on Thursday.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) banned Pakistan from the next championship in 2004 and suspended eight players and the manager for two years after over-age players were used at the tournament in the United Arab Emirates last September.

The Pakistan federation was also fined $10,000.

“We have been denied the right of appeal against the ban and fine by the AFC,” PFF secretary Agha Liaquat told Reuters on Thursday. “We still want to contest the medical reports, on the basis of which the players were found (to be) over-age.

“Before the team went to Dubai we had detailed X-ray tests done on all the selected players in the presence of coach John Layton and nothing was found (to be) wrong with their ages.”

It is a common practice in Pakistan to take X-rays to establish a person’s age.

Pakistan struggled in the under-17 competition, losing to South Korea and Yemen and drawing with Vietnam.—Reuters