CI-NEWS

All continental competitions suspended – CAF president.

2020-03-23

No: 478

All continental competitions suspended – CAF president.

The Confederation of African Football [CAF] has said that all continental competitions have been suspended until further notice.

The Coronavirus epidemic has already caused most of Africa to stop football-related activities, but CAF president Ahmad Ahmad has stated that both the 2021 AFCON qualifiers and the 2020 CHAN are officially suspended.

“The CAF organises football, the number one passion of our continent but it also goes beyond this. It participates in the development and prevention of any threats against Africa and humanity. It needs to be a symbol of progress,” said Ahmad, as quoted by KingFut.

“Which is why in order to take our responsibilities and prevent the spread of the virus, we have decided to postpone all competitions including the 2021 AFCON qualifiers and the 2020 CHAN along with the 42nd CAF General Assembly until an unspecified date.

“The CAF staff has been suggested to work from home since this morning until at least the end of March.

“I understand the disappointment of millions of our African fans but the health and security of the players, officials, partners but most importantly fans are our priority.

“This sanitary crisis is to be written in the history books as it is a fight every nation is taking part in. And I hope to see Africa playing an exemplary role,” he concluded.

This decision includes the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.

Message from CAF President regarding COVID-19

I bring you all compliments from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The last couple of days have been a sad one for African football and the world at large, due to the evolving nature of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the globe, which has now been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). There has been a lockdown in some of our Member Associations and in some cases a shutdown.

Despite being a football organization, one of our objectives is to partake in the fight against scourges posing a threat to the continent and humanity, and it is in this regard that we have taken major decisions to control and contain the spread of the COVID-19. As a result, we have suspended all competitions including the qualifiers for the Total Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 and the Total African Nations Championship, which was due for Cameroon from 4-25 April 2020. Also, the 42nd CAF Ordinary General Assembly also set for 24 April 2020 in Yaounde has also been postponed indefinitely.

Football is the passion of the continent, but the health of the players, officials, partners and fans matters most at this point. I expressed my sincerest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and speedy recovery to affected persons.

In light of the spread, personnel working at the CAF headquarters have been directed to work from home effective 19 March 2020 till the end of March.

Furthermore, we are monitoring the situation closely and remain in constant touch with global partners such as WHO, FIFA and State Agencies on the way forward.

Also, my applause goes to the several African football legends and personalities who have embarked on a #Safehands campaign on various social media platforms to control the spread of the deadly virus.

Let us stay together during these difficult times to fight the canker and restore our societies to normal state.

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All continental competitions suspended – CAF president.