Stuttgart striker banned for three months over false identity

Stuttgart’s Congolese forward Silas Wamangituka plays the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match VfL Wolfsburg v VfB Stuttgart in Wolfsburg, northern Germany, on December 20, 2020. (Photo by Ronny Hartmann / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO

VfB Stuttgart striker Silas Katompa Mvumpa was banned from all competitions for three months and fined 30,000 euros after revealing he had been playing under a false identity for years.

Known until last week as Silas Wamangituka, the striker revealed that his name and birth date were different and that the data had been changed years ago by a former agent who controlled him as a teenager.

“It was clear to him and us that Silas was going to be sanctioned by the DFB, and that’s the way it has to be according to the by-laws,” said Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat following the decision by the German Football Association (DFB).

“At the same time, the verdict takes into account the exceptional circumstances of his case. We are glad that this concludes matters for Silas in terms of sporting legalities from the DFB.”

His suspension runs until Sept. 11, with the season starting on August 13.

Both the player and his club have accepted the verdict.

The forward had told the club last week he had been living in fear since leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo at the age of 17 to play for French lower league club Ales.

He said his real name was Silas Katompa Mvumpa and his birth date was a year earlier than previously stated, so 1998 instead of 1999, making him 22-years-old now.

Stuttgart’s top scorer last season said his personal data had been changed by a player agent in Belgium who had full control of his bank account and possession of his passport.

The striker joined Stuttgart in 2019 and scored 11 league goals in the most recent season.