JOHANNESBURG: A late replacement must be found to host the 2015 African Nations Cup or the continent’s showpiece soccer tournament faces being called off after Morocco rejected an ultimatum to go ahead with the event in January.
Fears over the spread of the Ebola virus saw Morocco reiterate its stance that the 16-team tournament, due to be played from January 17-Feburary 8, should be postponed.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) refused to entertain a change of dates and must now find an alternate host as quickly as possible or face annulling the event at great financial cost. CAF have approached other African countries to step in as an emergency replacement but have so far received no public expressions of support.
A meeting of African football’s governing body in Cairo today now faces the prospect of having to cancel their gala event, unless they have a solution in their back pocket.
“We will not be making any statements until after the meeting makes a final decision,” CAF media director Junior Binyam said.
A risky gamble to call Morocco’s bluff looked to have backfired on Saturday as the country’s sport minister repeated a fear the tournament could spread Ebola.
“This decision is motivated mainly by the medical risks that would put this virus on the health of our fellow Africans,” Mohamed Ouzzine said in a statement.
In addition to health concerns, the statement said, Morocco’s decision was also “motivated by humanitarian reasons since it is our responsibility to welcome all guests and supporters in the best conditions in accordance with the culture and hospitality of Moroccan traditions”.
Morocco is concerned that supporters from west Africa converging on the country for the tournament could bring with them the deadly virus and put at risk their important tourist industry. Global health authorities are struggling to contain the world’s worst Ebola epidemic since the disease was identified in 1976 and cases have reached as far as the United States and Spain.
REUTERS
