Elton John will be banned from adopting the Ukrainian toddler he found in an orphanage because he is too old and unmarried, the country's minister for family and youth affairs confirmed today.

The pop star and his partner David Furnish wanted to adopt the 14-month-old HIV-infected boy Lev.

But the Family, Youth and Sports Minister Yuriy Pavlenko said today there were two impediments. Adoptive parents must be married, and Ukraine does not recognise homosexual unions as marriage.

In addition, John at age 62 is too old. Law requires there be an age difference between parent and child of no more than 45 years.