Paris - Morocco will be barred from the next two Africa Cup of
Nations as punishment for refusing to host the 2015 edition in
January-February, Confederation of African Football president Issa
Hayatou has said on Saturday.
"We are going to stick to the rules, that means elimination from the
next two Nations Cups," Hayatou told France's L'Equipe sports daily.
"On top of that there will be the financial and moral damages to
calculate."
Morocco are facing a $20 million fine for refusing to host the 2015
Cup in its scheduled 17 January - 8 February 8 slot over fears of the
spread of the deadly Ebola epidemic to the popular tourist destination,
Morocco's Le Matin newspaper suggested this week.
The north African state had called for the Cup to be postponed, but
organisers CAF rejected their request, stripping them of their
position as hosts and barring them from playing in the continental
showcase.
Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, which co-hosted the 2012 edition with
Gabon, were named as Morocco's replacement as hosts for the
troubled 2015 tournament on Friday.
Aside from the former Spanish colony in west Africa who now qualify
automatically, three countries are assured of their place in the
troubled 2015 Cup - Tunisia, Algeria and Cape Verde Islands.
There are 12 qualifiers scheduled for Saturday with defending
champions Nigeria needing a victory in Congo Brazzaville to have a
realistic chance of qualifying.
- AFP
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