The venue for next year’s African Cup of Nations finals is in major doubt after proposed hosts Morocco reportedly withdrew due to fears over the Ebola outbreak on the continent.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) last week received a letter from the Moroccan government last week asking for the tournament to be called off and had agreed to discuss the plans at the next executive committee meeting on 2 November. The prospective hosts proposed either postponing the tournament until next year or allowing them to switch to the 2017 edition instead.
However, African website supersport.com quoted a source from the country’s Ministry of Sport on Thursday who claimed the Morocco has now officially withdrawn in order to “preserve the safety of our citizens”.
“Since CAF rejected all our requests and suggestions then we are forced to withdraw from hosting Afcon 2015 with immediate effect to preserve the safety of our citizens and for that we are prepared to take any consequences that comes with our actions,” said the source.
Moroccan sports minister Mohammed Ouzzine was quoted earlier in the week saying they were considering what action to take if CAF continued to refuse their request to postpone the tournament.
“We’ve arranged to meet up and discuss the technical options connected to this demand for a postponement,” he said. “This demand is motivated essentially by the last report from the World Health Organisation, which contained alarming numbers at the extent and spread of the virus.
“All that means we are facing a historic responsibility. We understand CAF’s difficulty, but that said, never in history has there been such an Ebola epidemic.”
2013 hosts South Africa are now tipped to take over after reports that the country’s Football Assoiciation were already in negotiations with Caf, although Sudan and Egypt have also expressed an interest in hosting the tournament.
Morocco’s withdrawal is likely to lead to sanctions from the governing body, with potential punishments including the suspension of their national teams and clubs.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/16/morocco-africa-cup-of-nations-ebola-withdraw
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) last week received a letter from the Moroccan government last week asking for the tournament to be called off and had agreed to discuss the plans at the next executive committee meeting on 2 November. The prospective hosts proposed either postponing the tournament until next year or allowing them to switch to the 2017 edition instead.
However, African website supersport.com quoted a source from the country’s Ministry of Sport on Thursday who claimed the Morocco has now officially withdrawn in order to “preserve the safety of our citizens”.
“Since CAF rejected all our requests and suggestions then we are forced to withdraw from hosting Afcon 2015 with immediate effect to preserve the safety of our citizens and for that we are prepared to take any consequences that comes with our actions,” said the source.
Moroccan sports minister Mohammed Ouzzine was quoted earlier in the week saying they were considering what action to take if CAF continued to refuse their request to postpone the tournament.
“We’ve arranged to meet up and discuss the technical options connected to this demand for a postponement,” he said. “This demand is motivated essentially by the last report from the World Health Organisation, which contained alarming numbers at the extent and spread of the virus.
“All that means we are facing a historic responsibility. We understand CAF’s difficulty, but that said, never in history has there been such an Ebola epidemic.”
2013 hosts South Africa are now tipped to take over after reports that the country’s Football Assoiciation were already in negotiations with Caf, although Sudan and Egypt have also expressed an interest in hosting the tournament.
Morocco’s withdrawal is likely to lead to sanctions from the governing body, with potential punishments including the suspension of their national teams and clubs.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/16/morocco-africa-cup-of-nations-ebola-withdraw
