The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe, has assured fans and stakeholders that a thorough investigation is underway following the recent controversy surrounding Nigeria’s AFCON qualifier against Libya. Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, after the 46th Ordinary General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Motsepe made it clear that CAF will not tolerate any form of unsportsmanlike conduct in African football.
The controversy arose after the Nigerian national team faced several challenges on their trip to Libya for the crucial qualifier. These difficulties included a redirected flight, an over 18-hour delay at the airport, and logistical complications that impacted the team’s preparation. This situation raised serious concerns about the safety and fair treatment of players, prompting a strong response from CAF leadership.
While Motsepe refrained from commenting directly on the Nigeria-Libya match, he acknowledged the ongoing investigation into the incident. “It’s because when there was this problem with the Nigerian national team in Libya, I will not comment on that because there’s a proper investigation. But I want to emphasise a principle that we will not tolerate, because this is something that has been going on for quite some time,” he said.
The CAF President also highlighted a larger, recurring issue within African football, where visiting teams often face poor treatment. He noted that there have been numerous reports of national teams or football clubs being delayed at airports and asked for unnecessary documentation, which disrupts their preparation and performance. “Too many stories have been told of national teams or football clubs going to a country, and they spend hours at the airport, being asked about documents that don’t exist,” Motsepe stated.
Motsepe stressed that these incidents undermine the spirit of fair competition, which is central to African football. He emphasized the importance of showing respect and dignity to visiting teams, commending those nations that uphold these values. “It’s this lack of sportsmanship that has existed and we haven’t taken effective action. But I just want to repeat, we are proud of those nations that treat visiting national teams and football clubs with the respect and dignity they deserve,” he added.
In light of the Nigeria-Libya situation and other similar incidents, CAF is now reviewing its regulations and intends to enforce stricter measures to ensure that such problems do not persist. Motsepe assured that if violations of CAF’s rules are discovered, swift action will be taken. “If there are violations of those regulations and those rules, we will take action,” he affirmed.
The CAF President’s remarks highlight the confederation’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of African football by promoting fairness and sportsmanship in every aspect of the game. As the investigation continues, football fans across Africa will be watching closely to see what measures CAF puts in place to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.
