By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Players who will participate in the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held Saturday will not be able to hide their real age because of a state-of-the-art test.
The executive committee of the biennial youth football event announced Thursday after its meeting that all players in the competition will undergo a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test to check their age.
It is not the first time for the MRI test to be introduced to the U-17 World Cup.
FIFA director of competition Jim Brown said, ``The test was carried out in the 2003 and 2005 competitions.''
Through the MRI test that scans bones in the wrist, the exact age can be disclosed without any side effect to players.
This World Cup is limited to players who were born after January 1990.
The test is a part of collecting information on young players.
Saved data can also be used for other competitions which have age restrictions such as the U-20 World Cup or the Olympics, which only allows under-23 players.
``We don't target some countries with the operation of this test. There were rumors ahead of the World Cup, that several countries have picked up players older than 20. Announcing the test will be effective in stopping this violation,'' said the director.
FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon also backed the plan.
``FIFA is firm on this MRI test. It is a scientific and easy way to gather information on age,'' he said.