Hearts midfielder Laryea Kingston says he is definitely 29 after he and Chelsea's Michael Essien were accused of lying about their age.

Kingston was responding to quotes attributed to former Ghana Football Association chief Dr Nyaho Tamakloe about him and the Chelsea midfielder.

"I am 29 and I am going to turn 30 in November," he told BBC Scotland.

"The Ghana FA were the ones who made my first passport for me to travel to international tournaments."

Former Hearts of Oak coach Tamakloe also suggested there were question marks about the ages of Fulham's John Pantsil and fellow defender John Mensah of Sunderland.

All four British-based players are hoping to be in the Ghana squad for the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.

I am fit and I am enjoying my football again, so I have a chance to go and play in the World Cup Hearts midfielder Laryea Kingston

And Kingston believes the accusations have come from the old Ghana FA regime to unsettle the new one ahead of the finals.

"Every country, there is a lot of politics there," said Kingston. "The former FA did not achieve so much and the current FA have done well. They have taken the country to two World Cups.

"Yesterday, I had a phone call from someone saying that there's an article in one of the Ghana newspapers saying that the former boss of the federation says that me and Essien and some other players are lying over our age.

"If he thinks we are lying about our age, he should come out and show us proof that we are 42 or 62.

"I started playing international football when I was 15 years and I remember back in the days before I was selected to the national Under-15, we played youth football and, before you get qualified for that tournament, you have to have your birth certificate and everything."

Kingston, who has spoken to Essien about the remarks, dismissed the claim that his injury-hit season was because he was older than his passport suggests.

The Hearts midfielder missed the Africa Cup of Nations in January but is back in the Hearts team and aiming for a World Cup berth.

"We have had a number of injuries to young players at Hearts this year, so is Andrew Driver old just because he has been injured a lot?" he said.

"At the moment, I am fit and I am enjoying my football again, so I have a chance to go and play in the World Cup."

Kingston says that national coach Milovan Rajevac is due in the UK to speak to him ahead of the forthcoming campaign.

"There a lot of pressure on us," said the Hearts midfielder. "The tournament is in Africa and people are expecting African teams to do well.

"I am going there to enjoy my football. I will put my head down and work hard in games."

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