Guelor Kanga Kaku may have been involved in one of soccer’s most startling controversies with many wanting to know his real age
The Gabonese player found himself at the center of a scandal in 2021 that nearly led to his nation’s disqualification from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
While age fraud cases are unfortunately common in Africa, Kanga’s situation stands out as particularly astonishing, challenging the very principles of biology.
What is real name, nationality, age and birthday of Guelor Kanga Kaku born four years after the death of his mother
Now 33, Kanga is under investigation by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which has accused him of falsifying his birthdate and nationality. The repercussions of this incident have reverberated globally.
The revelation of Kanga’s forgery surfaced in 2021 when the Democratic Republic of Congo reported Gabon to CAF for fielding an ineligible player. According to the DRC, Guelor Kanga had manipulated documents to present himself as a Gabonese citizen.
🚨🚨| Gabon national team player Guélor Kanga Kaku will be meeting the CAF disciplinary committee to explain why his mother died in 1986 but he was born in 1990.
[@beINSPORTS_EN] pic.twitter.com/JaVyzGz32E
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) January 9, 2024
Kanga’s Birthdate
Official records indicate that Kanga was born on September 1, 1990, in Oyem, Gabon. However, the DRC contested this information, making the bold assertion that the player was operating under a false name.
According to them, Kanga’s real name is Kiaku Kiaku Kiangana, and he was born on October 5, 1985, in the country’s capital, Kinshasa. The DRC also claimed that Kanga’s mother had passed away in 1986, just one year after his birth.
What adds a layer of irony to this saga is Kanga’s apparent blunder in attempting to forge his birthdate.
If the midfielder insists he was born in 1990, his birth would have occurred four years after his mother’s death. The extent of misinformation involved in this incident is baffling.
FECOFA Appeals to CAF’s Panel
Despite the Democratic Republic of Congo’s earlier report to CAF, the soccer federation, FECOFA, faced rejection, with CAF stating that the evidence provided was not convincing or sufficient to establish identity fraud. FECOFA subsequently appealed to CAF’s appeal panel.
Age fraud scandals have plagued African soccer, often attributed to corruption and poor management by governing bodies. These controversies not only bring shame to the continent but also hinder eligible and deserving players.
In 2023, Cameroon faced disqualification from the UNIFFAC, a U-17 tournament for Central Africa, due to 21 out of 30 players failing MRI tests for age verification.