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Tag: CAF

  • World Cup qualifier: Why Nigeria will play Central African Republic in Cameroon

    World Cup qualifier: Why Nigeria will play Central African Republic in Cameroon

    The Central African Republic will host Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier in Douala, Cameroon instead of their country.

    This is because of a standing order from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

    In August this year, CAF barred eight countries from hosting World Cup qualifiers.

    They are: Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Namibia and Niger.

    The decision was taken after the countries failed CAF’s venue inspections.

    They will instead play their home fixtures at a neutral ground.

    CAR defeated Nigeria 1-0 in the first leg and will be looking to complete a stunning double over Gernot Rohr’s men in Douala.

  • 2020/2021 CAF Champions League: Akwa Utd eliminated

    2020/2021 CAF Champions League: Akwa Utd eliminated

    Akwa United of Uyo have been eliminated from the 2020/2021 CAF Champions League.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it was a sad day for Nigeria’s representatives Akwa United as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions were eliminated by Algeria’s Ligue 1 champions CR Belouizdad.

    They failed to build on their preliminary round first-leg advantage as they conceded two late goals in Algeria late on Sunday.

    Hosts CR Belouizdad showed resilience to overturn the one-goal deficit they suffered in Nigeria in the first leg at the Omar Hamadi Stadium.

    Akwa United tried to resist the threats of their hosts as both teams settled for a goalless first 45 minutes.

    But, Hicham Khalfallah’s effort in the 72nd minute broke the deadlock in Algiers and Chemseddine Nessakh’s 84th-minute goal sealed their ticket for the next round.

    Belouizdad will now face ASEC Mimosas in the second preliminary round after the Ivory Coast giants defeated Senegal’s Teungueth 2-0 on aggregate.

    The next round of the Champions League games are scheduled to take place between Oct. 15 and Oct. 17, while the second leg will be from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24

  • CAF seeks British Government’s exemption for African players during international window

    CAF seeks British Government’s exemption for African players during international window

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has requested the British Government to grant an exemption to African players for the international window.

    “CAF has noted the current circumstances in place in Britain regarding the lack of sporting exemptions for players returning from several African countries after the international window next week.

    “CAF, acting on behalf of all African Member-Associations, African players and fans, has urged the British Government to urgently provide the required exemptions.

    ”This is to enable African players to compete for their countries in the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers,” the continental football governing body said in a statement late Wednesday.

    CAF added that it noted that “similar exemptions were granted by the British Government to enable the attendance of delegations and officials, amongst others”, at the finals of the European Championship held less than two months ago.

    “It is further noted that the circumstances in the African countries on the red-list in many cases are in fact less severe than other countries not currently on this list or for which exemptions were previously provided,” the football body added.

    Furthermore, CAF said it would like to reiterate that the upcoming matches would be delivered under the strict protocols developed by FIFA and applied across the world.

    It added that this would be as it was the case in previous windows and continental tournaments successfully delivered without any incidents.

    “These protocols have now proven beyond a doubt that they mitigate the risks involved, reflecting the success of commensurate protocols applied domestically in England and other parts of the world.”

    CAF further said it has appealed, as a matter of urgency, to the Football Association (FA) and the British Government that “the same treatment previously applied to Europe now be extended to Africa”.

    “This will be under the principles of solidarity and equal treatment.”

  • FIFA bans former CAF president, Issa Hayatou

    FIFA bans former CAF president, Issa Hayatou

    Fifa has handed former Caf president Issa Hayatou a one-year ban from all football-related activities.

    Hayatou, 74, was found guilty for getting involved in the Lagardere Sports deal over the media and marketing rights of competitions organised by Caf while he was president of the African football ruling body.

    Aside from the ban, the Cameroonian was hit with a fine of thirty thousand Swiss Franc (CHF 30,000).

    According to the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, the former interim Fifa boss breached article 15 (Duty of Loyalty) of the Fifa Code of Ethics.

    “The investigation into Mr Hayatou’s conduct in his position as Caf president concerned his involvement in the negotiation, conclusion and signature of the memorandum of understanding and contractual agreement for the commercialisation of media and marketing rights of competitions organised by Caf with the company Lagardere Sports between 2014 and 2017,” a statement from Fifa website read.

    “Based on information gathered by the investigatory chamber, Mr Hayatou had breached his duty of loyalty in his position as Caf president, by entering, in the name and on behalf of the confederation, into an anti-competitive agreement with Lagardere Sport which was detrimental and caused significant damage to Caf (both financially, in the amount of EGP 200 million, as well as to its reputation).

    “Consequently, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Hayatou had breached article 15 of the current edition of the Fifa Code of Ethics and sanctioned him with a ban from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at both national and international level (administrative, sports or any other) for one year.”

    This sanction takes effect from August 3 and that means that he will not be involved in January’s Africa Cup of Nations that will be held in his homeland.

  • CAF releases date, venue for 2022 AFCON draw

    CAF releases date, venue for 2022 AFCON draw

    The Confederation of African Football, CAF, on Thursday announced that the draw for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, will take place on August 17, 2021, in Cameroon.

    The draw has been scheduled for the Yaounde Conference Centre at 18h00 GMT.

    CAF disclosed this in a statement via its website today.

    Recall that the draw was initially postponed in June 2021 due to logistical relations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The AFCON 2022 is expected to start on Jan. 9 till Feb. 6 with five host cities confirmed for the biennial competition.

    AFCON 2022: CAF announces details for tournament with 23 teams confirmed

    “CAF, together with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of Cameroon announce that the draw for the final phase of the 33rd edition of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021, will take place on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at the Yaounde Conference Centre, Cameroon at 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT),” CAF’s statement read.

    “The draw will see the 24 countries that will participate in next year’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations descend in the country ahead of January 9 2022 kick-off.

    “Caf will release more information in due course including the draw procedure and special guests.”

    The countries who have qualified for the tournament are defending champions Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia and Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone.

  • Doping: Enyimba captain Oladapo in shock over CAF’s suspension

    Doping: Enyimba captain Oladapo in shock over CAF’s suspension

    Contrary to reports by CAF that Enyimba captain Austin Oladapo failed a dope test during a CAF Confederations Cup game against Pyramid of Egypt, the midfielder has revealed that he is in shock as he only took pain-killer as prescribed by his club doctor.

    Recall that on Monday, Oladapo was handed a one-year ban by CAF from all football activities after his test sample returned positive for a banned substance.

    However, in an interview with Brila.net, Oladapo stated that the club will appeal the CAF ruling considering the fact that it has never been his nature to drink or smoke.

    He noted that he’s confident the decision will be overturned at the end of the day.

    “It came to me as a shock. I wasn’t expecting this from CAF. I’ve done this dope test four times. I did it in the national team at the CHAN, with Enyimba twice and I have always been confident that I will never fail a test”.

    “I don’t drink or smoke, it’s not my lifestyle. I only took a drug prescribed by the club doctor, a pain relief medication, which the club doctor prescribed and he presented the same to CAF.”

  • CAF bans Enyimba FC captain for one year

    CAF bans Enyimba FC captain for one year

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has banned the Captain of Enyimba football club, Oladapo Augustine for a year over a doping violation.

    Announcing the ban via a statement on Monday, CAF said it found the prohibited substance “Prednisolone/Prednisone” in urine collected from Oladapo after the Total CAF Confederation Cup 2020/2021 first leg fixture in Cairo.

    Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory steroid prescribed to treat conditions such as asthma, COPD, and rheumatologic diseases.

    “CAF Disciplinary Board decided to suspend the player Augustine Oladapo from all football-related activities for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of notification of the provisional suspension namely 4th July 2021,” the statement partly read.

    The ban, according to CAF, commenced from 4th July 2021, the date of notification of the provisional suspension.

    CAF added, “The result of the player Oladapo Augustine urine test in Bottle “A” which was collected in match N °153 between Pyramids FC (Egypt) Vs Enyimba FC (Nigeria), played on 16th of May 2021 in the frame of Total CAF Confederation Cup 2020/2021 was considered positive due to the presence of a prohibited substance “Prednisolone/Prednisone”.

    “On 18th June 2021, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was informed of the result and asked the player to indicate if he wishes to request the analysis of sample “B”.

    “On 22nd June, CAF received the reply of Enyimba club through NFF indicating that the player has elected to not request the analysis of the ‘B’ sample.

    “The club had indicated that any trace of the prohibited substance might have resulted from the prescribed medication the player was on during the same period, and they have communicated the club’s doctor’s report detailing the medications that were prescribed.

    “The player Oladapo Augustine was provisionally suspended from all football activities until a final decision is rendered by CAF Disciplinary Board.”

    Earlier in May, the People’s Elephant midfielder tested positive for a banned substance in a routine test carried out on him after the two-time CAF Champions League winner’s game against Pyramid FC of Egypt.

  • AFCON 2022: Super Eagles to know group opponents August

    AFCON 2022: Super Eagles to know group opponents August

    The Super Eagles of Nigeria will know their group opponents for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in August.
    Confederation of African Football Federation president, Patrice Motsepe has also confirmed that the competition will be hosted by Cameroon.

    Motsepe’s announcement also put to bed months of speculation over the future of the 2021 competition.

    “Very good meetings have been taking place between CAF and the government and local organisers in Cameroon and I have no doubt in my mind that we will host a very successful Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon,” said Motsepe.

    “I have three plans. Plan A is the AFCON next year in Cameroon. Plan B is the AFCON next January in Cameroon and plan three is that we are going to host something that should make all of us proud.”

    “There is work ongoing to make sure that it will be world-class quality. Yes, there are discussion and ongoing progress and an ongoing commitment that AFCON next year is going to be very good.”

    The tournament is scheduled to be played from January 9 to 6 February, 2022.

    CAF had to postpone the finals twice because of the global health crisis.

    The Super Eagles finished in third position at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

  • Akpeyi voted MOTM in Kaizer Chiefs’ Champions League draw vs Wydad AC

    Akpeyi voted MOTM in Kaizer Chiefs’ Champions League draw vs Wydad AC

    CAF has named Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi Man of the Match, after helping Kaizer Chiefs qualify for their first ever Champions League final.

    The football governing body made the announcement in a statement on their verified Twitter handle on Sunday.

    Akpeyi returned from a head injury to give a five star performance as, Kaizer Chiefs held visiting Wydad AC to a goalless draw and qualify 1-0 on aggregate for the final.

    In the votes that was casted by fans, Akpeyi polled 55 per cent to emerge to clinch the award.

    His teammate Erick Mathoho was second with 38 per cent while Wydad’s duo of Mohammed Ounnajem and Achraf Dari were third and fourth with five and two per cent respectively.

    And commenting on the award CAF who published a short video of Akpeyi in action against Wydad, wrote:”Daniel Akpeyi was voted the TotalEnergies Man of the Match from Kaizer Chiefs’ vs Wydad A C clash.”

    Saturday’s goalless draw means Akpeyi is yet to concede a goal in the CAF Champions League this season (6 games – 8 hours and 11 minutes of football).

    He’s the only keeper in the entire competition to have played more than 90 minutes and not conceded at least once.

  • 2020-21 CAF Champions League: Second-leg, semi-final matches on Saturday

    2020-21 CAF Champions League: Second-leg, semi-final matches on Saturday

    Following are the second-leg, semi-final matches of the 2020-21 CAF Champions league, which will be played on Saturday.

    First-named teams host the matches, with first-leg results in brackets.

    Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa vs Wydad Casablanca of Morocco (1-0)

    Al Ahly, Egypt vs Espérance de Tunis of Tunisia (1-0)

    The final match will be played on 17 July, 2021, at Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco.