The Confederation of African Football (CAF) could have done a better job of explaining its decision to move the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) from every two to four years but was standing by it, the organisation’s president Patrice Motsepe said yesterday.
The decision was announced last month and drew heavy criticism, with several African football personalities alleging it was a measure forced upon Africa by Fifa, whose president, Gianni Infantino, had six years ago advocated that the Afcon be played every four years rather than every two years.
Motsepe rejected the assertions of undue influence from Zurich and said they would go ahead with the Afcon every four years after 2028 and also introduce an African Nations League the following year.
“We didn’t do as good a job at CAF in preparing the ground on this Afcon every four years. We must make sure our everyday people, who we account to, understand that what we have done is good for them,” Motsepe told a press conference yesterday, on the eve of the final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat.
“This is the right decision. We will indeed have a new competition, and it will be enormously successful. African football will be better.
“We must free ourselves as Africans and have more confidence in ourselves. It should not be about Fifa says this or Uefa says this. We can be convinced we’re doing the right things, but it is important everyone on the continent is convinced we are doing the right things too.
“We have to educate our people on the decisions we have taken. We know that in two to three years people will see what we are talking about.”
Meanwhile, tensions mounted on the eve of the Afcon final as Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw criticised a lack of security for his players when they arrived in Rabat ahead of today’s decider and were mobbed at the city’s train station.
The players had no security escort as they got off the train after a 90-minute trip on Friday from Tangier, where they had been based through their first six games of the tournament.
Thiaw’s remarks at the press conference yesterday prompted one local journalist to try to defend Morocco’s organisers, drawing howls of protest from Senegalese counterparts.
Earlier yesterday, the Senegal Football Federation issued a statement condemning not only the lack of security on arrival in Rabat but also the standard of their accommodation and training facilities ahead of the final. “Today, Africa’s image is at stake. Our competition, which no one used to watch, is now very prestigious. We mustn’t squander that,” Thiaw said.
“So far, the organisation has been excellent, and a big thank you to Morocco. But we all witnessed what happened yesterday [Friday]. A well-organised event needs to be properly finished; it’s important.
“What happened yesterday was unacceptable. A team like Senegal, getting off the train, is left facing a crowd like that; the players were in danger.”
CAF did not immediately respond when approached for comment. — Reuters
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