Victor Emenayo pictures: Nigerian footballer slams accusations that he is in fact over 40 and not 23

A NIGERIAN footballer has had to defend himself after his club accused him of being at least 17 years older than his actual age.

Azerbaijan side Shahdagh Qusar FK thought they had signed 23-year-old Victor Emenayo this summer but after playing his debut, the club have accused him of lying and holding a fake passport.

Despite his passport claiming he was born in 1993, the club believe they have been duped and that he is at least 40-years-old – possibly older.

But Emenayo has slammed the suggestions saying he is not a cheat.

Speaking to website New Fanzone Blog, he said: “How can anybody claim or ascertain that I am not 23-years-old merely by my looks.

Getty Images

“I am not a cheat.”

Some news outlets claim that Emenayo may suffer from Lorde Disease – an illness that makes people look older than they actually are.

But Emenayo made no mention of this in his interview.

It is not the first time Nigerian footballers have been accused of lying about their age.

Last month a staggering 26 Under-17 players failed an age test ahead of their African Nations’ Cup qualifier.

Watch ALL the goals from the Premier League before anyone else for FREE plus all the latest news, fixtures and results and live match commentary all on the go with the new Sun Football App – click here to download