Adekunle Salami 
The much anticipated decision of the Confederation
of Africa Football over the delisted Africa Cup of Nations qualifier was released last weekend. The apex football body on the continent ruled that Libya forfeit
three points and three goals to Nigeria while Libya was also fined $50,000 for the treatment meted at the Super
Eagles of Nigeria.
Recall that the Nigerian contingent were at the Al-Abraq Airport for about 20 hours after the chartered aircraft of Nigeria was also diverted midair in a risky manner that could have affected the flight.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe assured at the General Assembly of the body at the meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethi
–
opia, that the AFCON fiasco would be dealt with just as there would be a legislation to forestall future occurrences. The judgement of the continental body reads: “The match number 87 Libya vs Nigeria to be played on 15 October 2024 in Benghazi is declared lost and forfeit by Libya by a score of 3-0. The LFF is ordered to pay a fine of $50,000 to be paid within 60 days of notification of the present decision. All other and further motions and prayers
for relief are dismissed.” The Libya Football Federation is required to settle this fine within 40 days from the official
notification of the decision.
The ruling, which was signed by the chairman of the disciplinary committee, Ousmane Kane, states that the Libya Football Federation was found in violation of Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, in addition to breaching Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary
Code. These violations prompted the board’s decisive action. I must confess I was expecting a replay but CAF gave
Nigeria the maximum points but it was a shock that the football body did not rule that future matches of the team
should take place outside Libya.”
It was learnt that the predicament of Super Eagles was further fuelled by the political situation in the country in
which there are two presidents ruling two separate territories.
The future games of Libya in the qualifiers and other games are high-risk games. Countries travelling to Libya
will be going there with so much fear and that is why the venue ban should have been triggered. The implication is
that Libya or any other country could still do still do similar thing if not more to other visiting teams. To imagine that
the next home game of the Mediterranean Knights will be played in Libya is a sad commentary.
The $50,000 fine was too small if one considers the magnitude of what the Libyans did to Nigeria.
Motsepe, the CAF boss, promised a law to back up the judgement and to prevent teams from doing similar things
in future but that is yet to happen. It took the body six days to make public the decision of its disciplinary committee
but the laws that many thought delayed the judgement is yet to be rolled out. This is very essential in a continent in
which clubs and national teams have faced so much trauma
in prosecuting away games.
Looking back, the Nigeria Football Federation despite winning the case should learn from this fiasco. The body
should have come out with documentary evidence in the first encounter in Uyo to reflect that the Libyans were not
badly treated. Again, an advance team to Libyan should
have been in place while it is now important to always
copy CAF with correspondence involving volatile teams.
Details of all arrangements for the match should be made
known to the African football body even before any dispute
or controversy.
The international and protocol departments of the NFF
should also double efforts on best ways to receive visiting
teams with utmost transparency now that we are all aware
there could be claims and counter-claims.
It is so sweet that this judgement came in favour of Nigeria and it also means the football federation must double
efforts in hosting teams at club and national team levels.
I am personally not aware Nigerian federation will not receive teams well except it happens in error or administrative lapses. Eyes will be on Nigeria now more than ever
before on hosting of teams.
FIFA’s Fair Play rule must be a guiding principle at all
times on and off the pitch. The game preaches love, unity
and peace…anything contrary must be discouraged at all levels.
