The Confederation of African Football (CAF) finds itself on the heart of one other fierce controversy. According to an article from Afrikafoot.fr, latest choices made by the African governing physique elevate questions on its impartiality and credibility.
In specific, the CAF has just lately permitted the turf on the Bakau Stadium in Banjul, Gambia, which has been closed for over two years, to host an important CAN 2025 qualification match between Gambia and Comoros. This transfer has sparked severe considerations, particularly from the Comorian aspect, the place it’s seen as favouritism in direction of Gambia.
Currently second in Group A with six factors, Comoros is combating for qualification for CAN 2025, intently trailing Tunisia. However, the CAF’s determination to permit Gambia to play at house, regardless of the unsure situation of the Bakau Stadium, looks as if a extreme setback for the Comorian group, which may discover itself at an obstacle.
The rising query is: does the CAF secretly want for a defeat of Comoros by favouring Gambia? This feeling is exacerbated by the strategies used to validate the stadium.
To guarantee compliance with the stadium’s situation, the CAF despatched a Senegalese inspector, a call that some observers deem unwise given the historic and cultural ties between Senegal and Gambia. This proximity may gasoline suspicions of bias, calling into query the neutrality of the inspection. For many analysts, this method appears extra like a formality than a real evaluation of the infrastructure.
Another regarding facet is the haste displayed by the CAF. A letter dated October 24 knowledgeable the groups that the match can be held in Bakau on November 15 at 19:00 GMT, even earlier than the inspection was formally validated. This hurried course of raises doubts in regards to the seriousness of the analysis and the CAF’s real intent to make sure equity between the groups.
In distinction, when Comoros requested an inspection for the Malouzini Stadium, the CAF took fifteen days to ship its verdict, obtained on October 16 after an inspection on the finish of September. This disparity in therapy raises questions in regards to the respect for deadlines and the transparency of the CAF.
By persisting in holding the match in Bakau, regardless of tight deadlines and questionable procedures, the CAF exposes itself to accusations of bias. This scenario highlights a deeper problem: how can a corporation that aspires to characterize all of African soccer justify such choices? Is the CAF keen to sacrifice its credibility to favour sure groups on the expense of others?
For Comoros, who’ve labored onerous to climb among the many greatest African groups, this case is especially disheartening. It underscores the necessity for the CAF to reevaluate its practices to make sure absolute justice and transparency. If it continues to function opaquely, the governing physique of African soccer dangers dropping not solely the belief of the groups it represents but additionally that of tens of millions of followers throughout the continent.
This opinion piece was first published on Footboom
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