I don't agree that you can call it cheating. If you have a question on the rules, and you raise that question with the rule-keeper, and get a green light, you can't be said to be cheating.
Cheating implies an element of dishonesty or trickery, which can't be said to exist if you've put your hand up and asked for a ruling.
Anger at New Zealand Facepalm Football I can understand. But the club/player/coach in question don't deserve any grief in my opinion. At least not on the facts disclosed so far in this thread.
Up to one of the clubs to appeal.
Let's put the player to one side, because given his age he is at the affect of what is going on around him. But the club and coach are party to an arrangement they know is being put in place as an exception/precedent so they have agreed to be party to this "arrangement of convenience" - so they deserve any and all the grief any reader of this thread feels moved to throw in their direction.
who said anything about it being his son - where did that come from? this is not accurate as far as I know.
Whoa, what a huge fail on my part!!