Football: Documents show second NZ player was ineligible

Sam Burfoot. Photo / Nick Reed

Oly White Sam Burfoot was one of two New Zealand players identified by the Vanuatu Football Federation as being ineligible to play at the recent Olympic qualifying tournament in Papua New Guinea.

New Zealand were forced to forfeit the tournament by the Oceania Football Confederation after defender Deklan Wynne failed to meet Fifa's eligibility regulations, but documents revealed by OFC today show that Burfoot also fell short of the mark.

But because Burfoot didn't take the field in the Olympic qualifying semi-final against Vanuatu, the OFC disciplinary committee decided not to pursue his case.

"As he did not play in said match, his eligibility cannot be subject to this enquiry by Fifa, but Fifa may decide at a later date to investigate his eligibility as he played for New Zealand in their match against New Caledonia," said OFC Head of Competitions Michael Song in a letter to New Zealand Football.

Vanuatu found that Burfoot was ineligible because he fell short of the Fifa regulations in the same way as Wynne. With no biological parents or grandparents born in New Zealand, English born Burfoot failed to meet the criteria of living in New Zealand for five years continuously from the age of 18.

Written decision of the OFC disciplinary committee - read the document here:

Written Decision of the OFC Disciplinary Committee (PDF)
Written Decision of the OFC Disciplinary Committee (Text)

Exhibits - Decision of the OFC disciplinary committee - read the document here:

Exhibits Written Decision of the OFC Disciplinary Committee (PDF)
Exhibits Written Decision of the OFC Disciplinary Committee (Text)