By Andrew Warshaw
November 13 – African football chief Issa Hayatou says acceding to Morocco’s request to postpone the Africa Cup of Nations would have been “to sign our death warrant” as yet another country added to the crisis by saying it couldn’t afford to step in and stage the event.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president insists that a substitute host would be named in “two or three days” and that the tournament dates of January 17 to February 8 remained.
Morocco, prompted by fears about the spread of Ebola into the country if it went ahead with hosting the three-wee competition, was instead expelled from the Nations Cup on Tuesday after refusing to change its position.
Clearly angry, Hayatou said he had no sympathy with them and that “it was absolutely necessary to end this standoff” by stripping Morocco of hosting rights.
“We have been in contact with the Moroccan Football Federation, I led a delegation to Morocco and we had much dialogue with them that the Africa Cup of Nations, which is our main event, cannot be postponed,” he said.
“Once you postpone this event, it will open the door for everybody to ask for a delay of any competition and we will no longer be credible.
“They said the reason was Ebola. But when we see also that Morocco is in the process of organising the FIFA Club World Cup only 25 days before the Africa Cup of Nations, you understand that this is an argument that must be quickly erased.”
Morocco, conversely, says the Club World Cup, with only two African sides taking part, presents minimal risk of Ebola compared with a 16-nation all-African tournament.
But calling the tournament off would “hurt our sponsors and partners,” said Hayatou. “Everyone will say we are not ready and finally it is CAF that will pay the piper. That is what I told the Moroccans: We cannot sign our death warrant because if we postpone this event, it will be very deadly for African football.
“For 57 years, we have patiently built this house … we are not about to leave the opportunity to anyone to destroy the work we have patiently developed over the years.
“Since 1957, never has an edition of the Africa Cup of Nations been cancelled or postponed, despite the geopolitical problems [Africa] has witnessed. All I can say is that it will be played somewhere,” Hayatou told television station France 24.
Yet as his comments were picked up around the world, so Angola, host in 2010 with the stadia in place, delivered another blow to CAF by saying they wouldn’t step in.
Angola Football Federation executive committee member Joao Lusevikueno told the BBC: “Angola is definitely not hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015.
“Even though the infrastructure is there – the stadiums, the hotels – you need at least two or three years to prepare the country to host a major tournament like that.
“It is not only the Angola Football Association (who decides) it is a matter for the government itself. The state budget has just been discussed and is going to be approved very soon – and it does not include hosting any tournament.”
Nigeria and Algeria are now in pole position while CAF says it will seek legal redress from Morocco based on contractual agreements signed in April.
However, Moroccan sports minister Mohamed Ouzzine says that’s unfair.
“The CAF statement said we refuse to organise the Nations Cup, and it’s wrong,” he told a parliamentary meeting. “We want the tournament in our country, but we maintain our demand to postpone it.
“Morocco has not breached any contract because of force majeure.
“The WHO (World Health Organisation) says that every country has the right to take the necessary measures to protect its citizens… The whole world is incapable to find some treatment or some solution for that disease (Ebola), so isn’t it a force majeure?
“We can talk about sanctions now, but we should not forget what would happen in case we have not taken our decision.”
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