COVID-19: CAF Gives Update On 2021 AFCON Games

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has asked the general public to disregard reports making rounds about the postponement of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Naija News understands there were reports on the internet suggesting this year’s AFCON games could be moved away from Cameroon following the recent discovery of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

To avoid the unforeseen, countries have begun to place travel bans on other countries, especially several African nations, with Nigeria inclusive.

Some media organisations, Naija News not inclusive, have suggested that the dates of the 24-team AFCON tournament could change or even the location be moved, possibly to Qatar.

Responding, however, to the claims, CAF’s director of communications Alex Siewe said neither his organisation nor leading Cameroon officials have discussed such events.

He said: “We can’t keep spending time dealing with rumours,” he told BBC Sport Africa. “We did not receive any other message or information from our leaders – nothing such as changing of dates or countries. We did not discuss such during all our last meetings.

“We are on site. We are working.”

Africa’s football showpiece, which has already been delayed because of the global pandemic, is due to kick off on 9 January in Yaounde with the final on 6 February.

Staff from the CAF arrived in Cameroon this week to organize the AFCON finals.

“An official delegation from CAF has been released and general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba is joining us in two days,” Siewe added.

The European Club Association, an independent body that represents clubs across Europe, has expressed its “deep concerns” regarding player welfare before the tournament, adding that the public health situation continues to deteriorate in an alarming manner.