By Andrew Warshaw
November 10 – The future of January’s African Cup of Nations has been plunged into further jeopardy after Morocco failed to meet Saturday’s deadline to confirm it will host the event.
The Moroccans had requested a delay or a postponement because of fears over the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) refused the request and gave Morocco an ultimatum. The same deadline was also given to any countries who may want to step in as replacement hosts.
It is now clear both Morocco and their confederation are digging in their heels, with a fresh date of November 11 set for what could be a final ruling. That’s when CAF has an executive committee meeting in Cairo when it seems likely Morocco will be stripped of the competition unless they back down.
Morocco is also staging FIFA’s Club World Cup next month but views this as a far less risky event in terms of possible Ebola infection. The country last staged the Nations Cup in 1988 but want CAF to put it off until June 2015 or January 2016.
CAF say that is unacceptable and insist there is no threat to the dates of next year’s competition – which is scheduled to run between 17 January and 8 February.
“We will never take any risk if we are unsure about whether a competition poses a threat to the hosts,” CAF secretary-general Hicham El Amrani told the BBC. “That would be as disastrous for us as for any nation having the virus.”
El Amrani said that consultation with the World Health Organisation had been key to the rejection of Morocco’s request.
“Their advice was very clear, in that they only recommend cancelling mass gatherings and football matches in the heavily-affected countries: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.”
Guinea and Sierra Leone, two of the three west African countries where Ebola has struck with deadly effect, are both technically still eligible to qualify but they are bottom of their respective groups and in any case have played their home qualifiers overseas to minimise the risk of exposure.
But Morocco is concerned that other supporters could bring the deadly virus with them. “Because of the occurrence of a force majeure, namely the risk of the pandemic Ebola virus and the adverse and uncontrollable consequences that could result… Morocco is making the request to postpone the African Nations Cup 2015/2016,” a government statement said.
Last week CAF accused Morocco of being alarmist and published a long list of reasons why it felt they could still host the tournament without any risk. CAF can now either move the event – though there have apparently been no firm offers from potential standby nations – or cancel it altogether at huge financial cost.
The Nations Cup is African football’s most prestigious event but has been beset with problems in recent years. Libya have already given up 2017 hosting rights, with a replacement yet to be appointed.
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