Zambia captain Barbra Banda has been exempted from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after an unsuccessful gender eligibility tests.
In spite of being allowed to compete in last year’s Olympics, the 22-year-old striker failed to meet the standards required by global governing body FIFA, whose gender rules are those of the African Football Confederation (Caf) on WAFCON.
“All the players had to undergo gender verification, a Caf requirement, and unfortunately she did not meet the criteria set by Caf,” Andrew Kamanga, the president of Zambia’s FA (Faz), told BBC Sport Africa.
“It’s unfortunate that we find ourselves going into the tournament without our best players.”
Zambia started Group C with a 0-0 draw against second-placed Cameroon in the third inning on Sunday and ended on Wednesday against Togo, who made their weekend debut after meeting Tunisia.
Banda gained international fame when she became the first female athlete to score a consecutive Olympic hat-trick in Tokyo.
When asked by BBC Sport Africa on Sunday how Banda could possibly be at the Olympics instead of WAFCON, the cafe’s communications director Lux in September replied: “There is no such decision by the cafe medical board”.
The response has riled Kamanga however, who has told BBC Sport Africa that “whatever happened was purely a Caf requirement”.
Banda, who was left out of the team by Faz after failing tests before the final, is one of the highest scoring strikers in African women’s football, currently inactive but training in Morocco with the Copper Queens team.
“Everybody at home [in Zambia] has been made to believe that Faz did nothing and decided on their own to exclude the player,” Kamanga added.
“We the federations are compelled to undertake the tests and then we pass on the information to Caf, and Caf, equally, test the players if needs be in the tournament.
“So it will be unfair to turn around and say Caf is not part and parcel of whatever has transpired.”
BBC Sports Africa groks that three other Zambian players were affected by their gender qualifications but chose not to play for the national team with 22 players instead of the allowed 26.
She was first included in the WAFCON Zambia team after taking medication to lower testosterone levels . Of course, testosterone levels were too high, but still not up to par, BBC Sport Africa perceives.
The striker has signed with Chinese club Shanghai Shengli but is said to have a chance of promotion to Spain’s top flight.
Unique observer 24 