AFCON
Fans in Africa Cup of Nations stadiums must be vaccinated against COVID
Spectators at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations soccer finals in Cameroon must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and show a negative test result before entering stadiums, the African Football Confederation (CAF) said on Thursday.
The competition, comprising teams from 24 countries, is scheduled to start on Jan. 9 but concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus among the mass of traveling fans and players have prompted organisers to tighten restrictions.
Under previous rules, only players, coaching staff and officials had to be vaccinated and tested.
“Health authorities will take all necessary measures to facilitate vaccinations and to perform the COVID tests,” CAF said in a joint statement with Cameroon’s government.
COVID has plagued the organisation of the tournament, causing it to be postponed in June.
This week it emerged that the European Club Association (ECA) threatened not to release players because they were concerned there were no COVID-19 protocols in place and that players may have to quarantine on returning to their clubs.
CAF sent its general-secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba to Cameroon to speed up preparations, in a move that heightens concerns over the country’s readiness.
It is not clear how authorities will go about administering doses in Cameroon whose vaccination rates are some of the lowest globally. It has only rolled out enough doses to fully vaccinate 1.9% of the population, according to Reuters data.
-Reuters
According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.
The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.
In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.
In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s Club Africaine.
If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.
With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.
However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.
Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players, Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger, Faraj Ghaidhan. They take the places of the absent regular players.
Franck Mawuena who recently renewed his contract with Remo Stars has received a call-up to the Togolese squad for this week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. He had previously featured in the Belgian League.
He was part of the Remo Stars squad that finished second in the Nigeria Premier league last season. He scored six goals.
Togo will be away to Algeria on Thursday before hosting the reversed fixture on 14 October.
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