Severe sanctions for age fraud in handball
An investigation into age fraud in the Dominican Handball Federation, has led the PanAmerican Team Handball Federation (PATHF) Tribunal for Disciplinary and Ethical Matters to permanently ban the Dominican Handball president from holding any PATHF positions.
In connection with the PanAmerican Women's Youth Championship in 2010, there were suspicions regarding the correct age of some players on the team of the Dominican Republic.
“The Tribunal was able to obtain confirmation of recent indications that two players had been nominated for this competition in 2010 with the help of passports indicating a year of birth which would supposedly make them eligible, even though they had already participated in the IHF World Championship in 2007 on the basis of other passports that confirmed them to be several years older,” says the Tribunal’s decision published on the PATHF website.
According to the decision the age fraud was verified through other passports, which the two players have been using more recently when playing for club teams in Spain.
Consequently, the PATHF has barred the president of the Dominican handball federation and Council member of PATHF, Jose Duval permanently from holding any PATHF position. Duval was furthermore given a ten-years suspension from any involvement in competitions outside his country.
The national teams from the Dominican Republic have been suspended for three years from participation in continental and regional events, and are therefore also prevented from qualifying for IHF events.
The two players in question are suspended from participation in competitions and other activities in handball at the continental, regional and sub-regional level in PanAmerica for three and five years, respectively.