adminPARIS. — Angola announced on Wednesday they were not interested in replacing Morocco as eleventh hour hosts of the crisis-hit 2015 African Cup of Nations soccer finals.
Angola’s decision leaves three potential candidates — Egypt, Gabon and Nigeria – to put on the continental showcase.
Morocco were stripped of the right to host it after insisting on a postponement, citing as their reason the deadly Ebola epidemic.
Morocco’s stance irked organisers the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
The federation’s president, Issa Hayatou, told France24: “To postpone the Africa Cup of Nations would be like stopping African football dead.”
“Once you postpone this event, it will open the door for everybody to ask for a delay of any competition and we will no longer be credible,” added the 68-year-old Cameroonian who has been in office since 1988.
Angola had emerged as one of the front runners to come to the aid of the troubled 2015 Nations Cup which is due to start in two months time, on January 17.
The oil-rich state’s insistence that they were not interested in hosting a competition they staged in 2010 came from Joao Lusevikueno, vice president of the Angolan football federation. — AFP.
Online Reporter