With Meschack Elia Elina receiving a 12-month ban from TP Mazembe and the Congolese Association Football Federation, further shocking details have emerged over the bizarre age-cheating incident.
On Tuesday, the DR Congo giants confirmed the one-year ban of star forward Elia after he attempted to falsify his age with an altered passport in Switzerland.
The news sent shockwaves around the continent as one of the most promising players with the world at his feet was misled by what the club has deemed as 'crooked agents'.
After being lined up by Anderlecht during the off-season after a successful trial period, Elia was poised to sign a contract to earn a dream move to Europe with the Belgian outfit.
However, the 21-time capped senior international who starred at the 2019 AFCON failed to return to the club and went AWOL for several weeks.
And according to a statement from the five-time Champions League winners, Elia resurfaced in Switzerland, with a new passport whose year of birth was altered to 1997, instead of 1996.
The statement further added that the former Don Bosco attacker was seeking political asylum in the country as a refugee while leading the club Young Boys to believe that he was a free-agent.
When the news surfaced backed to Mazembe, it's believed they quickly took the legal route, in which the high court found him guilty of the following upon analysis of the fraudulent documents.
- False in the titles, is provided for and repressed by article 52 of the CDF
- Attack on the honour of the TPM and its President, foreseen and repressed by article 49 of the CDF
- Passive corruption, foreseen and repressed by article 53 of the CDC
As a result, Elia will now have no access to sports facilities for 12 months through the club he is contracted to, while the ban has been extended to the DRC National team, CAF competitions and FIFA.
