By Chuka Izuegbuna
This is supposed to be Africa’s year and CAF just can’t see it that way.
It is clear that CAF president runs the football house like his personal estate and, typical of Africa’s sit tight leaders, runs it like a dictator.
The lack of empathy shown by the Cameroonian towards Togo leaves a lot to be desired.
The attack on the Togolese national team (an attack that left two dead and others injured) and Togo’s withdrawal from the 2010 African Nations Cup should have elicited some form of empathy from CAF. Rather, it has only left Monsieur Hayatou and his cohorts in CAF mulling over the loss of revenue Togo’s withdrawal caused them rather than the loss of lives.
As if to make up for that loss CAF has gone on to hand a hefty punishment on Togo: an expulsion from the next two editions of the African Nations Cup and a $50, 000 fine.
Article 78 of the CAF rule book may specify such a punishment for teams withdrawing shortly before the competition but CAF missed it by overlooking the sentimental reasons attached to the withdrawal. Besides they would have scored points by commiserating with Togo but they went ahead to compound a very sensitive issue by overlooking Article 80 which tolerates withdrawals ‘in cases of force majeure.
Force majeure allows for an extraordinary event or circumstance, which the incident in the northern Angolan province of Cabinda on January 8 certainly was – with the Togo bus being attacked by rebels linked to the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda.
Inside talk suggests this is a political spat between the Togolese government, its football federation and CAF, who had a war of words with Prime Minister Gilbert Huongbo when the team withdrew.
The least we can expect, if this was true is that CAF not use this as a political tool.
This Nation’s cup was supposed to be a glowing tribute to African football and a sample of what to expect as all eyes will be turned to South Africa this June.
Mr. Issa Hayatou has however contrived to serve Africa up to the rest of the world as an unpalatable dish which would end up constipating the consumer.
Greedy, Wicked, Cruel and Inhumane are just a few of the adjectives being hurled at CAF in the wake of this announcement and if Dumb is added to it, you will still not be far off the mark.
A litany of excuses has been what CAF has offered us, excuses that hold no water.
Togo, an emerging force in African football may not recover from this if CAF decides to follow through on this line of action – Just like in 1996 when CAF, in collaboration with the late Nigerian dictator General Sani Abacha set Nigeria’s football on a retrogressive path.
While many have called for a wholesale boycott of the African Nations Cup (a line of action which may not materialize) CAF should understand that in spite of all the acclaimed successes it has achieved, it is still doing African football a lot of harm.
Togo has been told they can appeal and while the next generation of Togolese players wait with abated breath for a repeal of the emperor’s order one can only say that CAF has missed it again!
