DUBAI // Al Wasl, the seven-time UAE champions, could face heavy punishment should a case brought against them regarding the nationality of Fabio Lima prove successful.
Lima was sent to Wasl last July on a two-year loan from Brazilian side Atletico Goianiense.
Initially, he was registered as a Brazilian with the Football Association. The Dubai club later changed his nationality to Uzbekistan, allowing them to comply with the governing body’s rules concerning the allocation of foreign players.
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At present, Arabian Gulf League clubs must abide by the three-plus-one-Asian policy regarding expatriates on the pitch.
Wasl’s foreign contingent comprises Lima, 21, a midfielder; Brazilian forwards Caio and Ederson, and Portuguese playmaker Hugo Viana. Lima is registered as the club’s Asian player.
However, earlier this week Sharjah Club questioned the authenticity of Lima’s Uzbekistan citizenship, claiming they had obtained proof his Uzbek passport number was registered to an Uzbek female reportedly residing in Tashkent.
Sharjah have taken the case to the FA disciplinary committee, who has given Wasl until April 14 to provide the documentation to refute the accusation.
Sharjah have requested the result of last Friday’s match between the two sides, which Wasl won 2-1, be reversed and that the three points be awarded to them instead. Lima played the full 90 minutes at the Zabeel Stadium, taking his tally for Wasl this season to 26 matches. He has scored 11 goals.
Wasl officials could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
According to Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister newspaper of The National, the disciplinary committee has asked Sharjah to submit what the club says are “original official papers” pertaining to Lima’s Uzbek passport.
Salem bin Bahyan Al Amri, committee chair, did not rule out consulting government agencies in Uzbekistan and the UAE to inquire about the validity of the passport.
“Let’s not jump the gun and talk about a forged passport,” Al Ittihad quoted Al Amri as saying. “The burden of proof is incumbent on the plaintiff in this case. At present, Lima’s passport is legitimate until proven otherwise.
“The case requires additional review. We might resort to government and official bodies to validate the legitimacy of the player’s passport. This is a serious accusation and it must be thoroughly investigated before a final decision is made.”
If it is ruled the player’s passport was forged, the rules allow for several penalties, including suspension and deduction of points from any matches he played in. Other clubs who lost matches against Wasl would have to submit an official complaint to the disciplinary committee to redeem their points.
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
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So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
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