After the recent media reports about the interest of the football federation of Macedonia and the national team coach Srecko Katanec for the Brazilian Da Silva Washington from Makedonija GjP, MacedonianFootball.com would like to inform them about some simple rules from FIFA's statute
The Macedonian newspaper "Utrinski vesnik" reports that the football federation of Macedonia have already taken actions for giving the Brazilian striker Da Silva Washington an Macedonian passport in order to include him in the Macedonian national team. The case got the support by the Macedonian national team coach Srecko Katanec who was interested to have this player in his squad for the upcoming matches from the WC2010 qualifications. But, MacedonianFootball.com would like to inform them about their pointless actions, because according to the basic rules from FIFA's statute, Da Silva Washington will have to live continuously in Macedonia until 2013 in order to have the right to play for Macedonia.
At the 58th FIFA Congress in Sydney, Australia, held an 30 May 2008, amendments and adaptations were made on the rules governing the eligibility of players to play for representative teams. The Macedonian football federation had it's representatives on this congress who voted for this amendments and they were supposed to know the following rule:
Article 17 Acquisition of a new nationality
Any player who refers to art . 15 par. 1 to assume a new nationality and who has not played international football in accordance with art . 15 par. 2 shall be eligible to play for the new representative team only if he fulfils one of the following conditions :
(a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association ;
(b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant Association ;
(c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
(d) He has lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 an the territory of the relevant Association.
The 204cm tall Brazilian striker Da Silva Washington impressed with his performances for the leaders Makedonija GjP. He arrived in Macedonia this summer from Alagoas an in the first half of the season he scored 6 goals. Despite the urges by FFM to be given the chance to prove his skills in the Macedonian national team, Washington will have to continue playing in Macedonia at least until 2013 in order to obtain the permit by FIFA.