Man Utd, Man City face age-fraud claims involving academy players

Manchester United and Manchester City are under scrutiny following allegations that six foreign-born academy players may have lied about their ages, potentially classifying them as adults rather than minors. An investigation has revealed photographic evidence suggesting that three of these players have participated in tournaments for older age groups in their home countries. Although no conclusive proof of age falsification exists, parents had previously raised concerns with academy staff, which were reported to the Football Association and Premier League safeguarding teams. Both clubs have stated they did not knowingly enable any misconduct and emphasize their commitment to operating within the governing bodies' regulations. However, questions remain about whether adequate measures have been taken to verify the players' ages, especially since none have undergone scientific testing as permitted under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The situation has sparked discussions about age verification protocols within sports academies.