The Confederation of African Football president, Patrice Motsepe, has revealed that a thorough probe is ongoing following the recent controversy surrounding Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.
Motsepe maintained that the continental body will not tolerate any lack of sportsmanship and unfair treatment in African football.
Motsepe, during a press conference on Tuesday after the 46th Ordinary General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, spoke in response to the difficult conditions the Nigerian national team faced during their trip to Libya, which raised concerns about player safety and fair treatment.
Recall that the Super Eagles had travelled to Libya for their crucial qualifier, where they encountered several challenges, including redirection of their flight, over 18-hour delay at the airport, and logistical complications that affected the team’s preparation.
Motsepe, without commenting directly on the Nigeria-Libya situation, noted that the incident is under investigation.
He stated, “It’s because when there was this problem with the Nigerian national team in Libya, and 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.
“Your national team, let me emphasise, forget about the Nigeria and Libya situation, because that process has been properly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken.”
He further highlighted that such issues have been recurring in African football, where visiting teams are sometimes treated poorly.
“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 said.
During his remarks, the CAF President emphasised the importance of treating visiting teams with respect and dignity, pointing to the principle of fairness in competition.
