Equatorial Guinea rescues CAF

             

Equatorial Guinea has accepted to host the Africa Nations cup. This is coming after Morocco turned down the right to host the competition due to the fear of Ebola.

The tournament ran into troubled waters when original hosts, Morocco opted out, no thanks to the Ebola disease ravaging parts of West Africa. Morocco had requested for a shift in date if they must go ahead as hosts, a request which CAF out rightly rejected.

CAF president Issa Hayatou had early this week expressed confidence that his body would find a replacement for Morocco, even as he insisted that postponing the tourney would amount to signing the death warrant of African football.

CAF in its website stated yesterday that Equatorial Guinea accepted to host following fraternal and fruitful discussions held in Malabo between Hayatou and president of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The CAF statement read in part: “Following fraternal and fruitful discussions, the Head of State of Equatorial Guinea has agreed to host the tournament from January 17 to February 8, 2015.The Executive Committee of CAF and President Issa Hayatou seize this opportunity to express their sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the people of Equatorial Guinea, its government, and particularly to His Excellency the Head of State and President of the Republic Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.”

CAF stressed that the national team of Equatorial Guinea which was interestingly disqualified from the competition for fielding an ineligible player during the on going qualifiers has been re instated into the tournament as hosts.