AFCON: A gigantic tournament

By Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani

I had initially not titled this article AFCON the gigantic tournament. But I have done so now primarily to respond to the purported disregard, misinformation, or rather outright disrespect directed at the most prestigious football tournament in Africa, which Jurgen Klopp’s, Manager of the English side, Liverpool FC, comment on the African Cup of Nations seems to convey, as less relevant. 

I have tremendous respect for Klopp, one of the finest tacticians in football. I can’t certainly say he meant to disrespect the AFCON, though, this doesn’t stop me from tackling what is gradually gaining credence in Europe whether glaringly or subtly: the scanty regard for AFCON. 

The biggest event in African football commenced on January 9 in Cameroon. The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Total 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, is the 33rd edition of the tournament. 

This edition was moved back to January/February instead of the previous time of June/July.

This edition of the AFCON has come with numerous challenges even before it started. Strong opposition has come from many angles centred on its timing.  The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reverted to AFCON’s traditional calendar, as against the summer calendar used in major international competitions like the World Cup and European Football competition, though the former is set to be played in November this year, unlike the prior editions. 

The bulk of the opposition to the timing of the AFCON has understandably come from European clubs, who have a lot to lose by having some of their key players featuring in the tournament. This made many clubs to devise means to keep their players against the wishes of the players or in collaboration with the players.  Some of the clubs went out of their ways to engage in unethical practices in order to keep their players from playing for their countries. We heard former Super Eagles player, John Ogu made startling revelations about his manager asking him to fake injuries in order to prevent him from playing for the Nigerian national team. ‘Not even surprised at the situation of the foreign managers or clubs not wanting their players to go represent their country in tournaments,’ Ogu tweeted.

‘One certain manager in Portugal asked [that] I tell the coach of Eagles then that I was injured so as not to go for a friendly game. After I left and came back, he stopped playing me, and this was prior to the World Cup coming that year. I mentioned it here and many out here said I was lying and so on. Una don see how them be now?’

One could see the length some of these clubs could go. It is absurd, gratuitous, unacceptable, and a blatant disregard for African football and Africa in general.  

European Club Association (ECA) wrote FIFA, stating why clubs might not release players for AFCON: health, the welfare of players, and the timing of the fiesta. The ECA further accused African football-affiliated associations of failing to “properly implement protocols with worrying degrees of negligence.”

The ECA said clubs would release African players for the forthcoming 2021 African Cup of Nations only when national football associations in Africa meet certain stringent conditions.

At its meeting of December 2, 2021, the ECA, in an official letter to FIFA Deputy Secretary-General, Matthias Grafstrom and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), made their position known, especially with the raging Omicron variant of COVID-19. The ECA mandated FIFA and CAF to ensure necessary precautions are in place to protect players and club interests ahead of the tournament.

I have to concede that there are vital issues to iron out in the timing of the AFCON and the ECA is entitled to protect its member’s interests. So also, are CAF and its member associations. CAF will be unfair to its affiliated associations if it remains adamant on the current calendar merely to prove a point that it has sufficient grounds. However, all these don’t give the ECA the justification to insult African football. Going forward there should be a clearly defined means, concessions, and major decisions must be made by all stakeholders for a mutually beneficial solution.

I know certainly that if it were the other way round the backlash from the European press, clubs, and fans would have been deafening. A series of sanctions would have been in place on those clubs from FIFA.

CAF, FIFA and all stakeholders should treat this matter thoroughly with a view to finding a lasting solution that has the players, the fans, and everyone in mind. Above all, a workable remedy that upholds the dignity of Africans and aids the development of the beautiful game should be rigorously pursued.

Sansani wrote from Jalingo