FIFA rejected Chile's appeal for disqualifying Ecuador from World Cup

FIFA has rejected

's request to have

excluded from the World Cup in Qatar.

Ecuador selected an unqualified player throughout their qualification campaign, prompting the appeal.

Following suspicions that right-back Byron Castillo is Colombian and hence unable to represent Ecuador, football's international governing body initiated disciplinary proceedings last month.

In Ecuador's South American qualification campaign, Castillo played in eight matches.

Chile filed a complaint after failing to qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA announced on Friday that Ecuador will participate in the tournament, which begins in November. 

A statement on FIFA's website read: "The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has rendered its decision in relation to the potential ineligibility of the player Byron David Castillo Segura with regard to his participation in eight qualifying matches of the national team of the Ecuadorian Football Association (FEF) in the preliminary competition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

"After analysing the submissions of all parties concerned and considering all elements brought before it, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to close the proceedings initiated against the FEF.

"The Disciplinary Committee's findings were notified today to the parties concerned. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the parties have 10 days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com. The present decision remains subject to an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee."

If FIFA had not banned Ecuador, La Roja, who finished seventh and missed out on a play-off position, would have claimed Ecuador's place.

In Group A, Ecuador will compete against Qatar, the Netherlands, and Senegal. 

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