Let’s stop pretending this is just another “administrative issue.”

What is being alleged inside Ethiopian football right now especially around the Under -18 women’s team selection for the Turkey tournament is not a small mistake, not poor organization, and not something that can be brushed aside with silence. If even part of these claims are true, then this is a deliberate system of deception that has been allowed to exist for far too long.

At the heart of the scandal is something that should never even be a question age. An Under-18 tournament is meant for under-18 players. That’s not complicated. It’s the most basic rule in youth football. And yet, serious concerns are being raised that older, experienced players some with years in the Ethiopian Women’s Premier League have been pushed into a youth competition while actual teenagers have been pushed out. That is not just unfair. It is disgraceful.

Let’s call it what it is stealing opportunities from young girls.

These are players who train, sacrifice, and dream of representing their country. And instead of being rewarded for their effort, they are allegedly being replaced by players who should not even be eligible in the first place. Not because they are better, but because the system allows it. And that’s the real issue here the system. Because this doesn’t happen by accident.

You don’t accidentally select overage players. You don’t accidentally produce questionable documents. You don’t accidentally send the wrong athletes to an international tournament. These things require decisions. They require approval. They require people in positions of power choosing shortcuts over integrity.

And for what?

Short-term results? Personal image? Keeping positions and control? Whatever the motivation is, it’s not about developing football. It’s not about protecting young players. And it’s definitely not about representing Ethiopia with honesty.

What makes this even more disturbing are the allegations that this goes beyond team selection that identity documents and age records may have been manipulated. If that is true, then this is no longer just a football problem. This becomes a legal and ethical failure involving institutions that are supposed to protect the integrity of the country. And yet, where is the response? Where is the transparency? Where is the accountability?

Silence in situations like this is not neutral it is part of the problem. It tells players, fans, and the public that no one is willing to answer questions. That no one feels responsible. That the system protects itself.

Ethiopian football has been here before. For years, there have been complaints about favoritism, closed-door decisions, and a lack of accountability. But this situation feels different not because it is new, but because it exposes how deep the problem really goes. This is not about one team or one tournament. This is about a culture.

A culture where rules are flexible for some and strict for others. A culture where connections matter more than merit. A culture where the future of young players can be sacrificed for immediate gain. And that culture is destroying trust.

Because fans are not blind. Players are not blind. People see what is happening. And every time something like this occurs, it pushes Ethiopian football further away from credibility both at home and internationally.

No country builds a strong football system like this. You don’t develop talent by blocking it.
You don’t earn respect by cheating the system. And you don’t inspire a generation by showing them that honesty doesn’t matter.

At some point, there has to be a line. If these allegations are false, then prove it clearly, openly, and with evidence.
But if they are true, then there must be consequences. Real ones. Not quiet internal adjustments. Not temporary fixes. Accountability.

Because without accountability, nothing changes. And without change, Ethiopian football will remain stuck full of potential, but held back by the very people who are supposed to lead it forward.

This is bigger than football now. It’s about integrity. It’s about fairness. It’s about whether the system serves the game or exploits it.

And right now, too many signs point in the wrong direction.