WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) New Zealand Football has appealed the disqualification of its Under-23 team from the Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament for use of an ineligible player.
President Deryck Shaw said New Zealand lodged an appeal with the Oceanian Football Confederation on Friday against both the process and the grounds under which its team was ejected from the tournament in Papua New Guinea.
Shaw said New Zealand Football is also reviewing internal processes and obtaining information ''on the small number of players that are potentially affected'' by eligibility questions.
But New Zealand media reports say as many as 16 players who have represented New Zealand in the past year at senior, under-23 and under-17 level do not meet FIFA's eligibility criteria.
