The Confederation of African Football CAF has cancelled the Morocco 2021 U17 Africa Cup of Nations tournament that was scheduled to kick off this weekend on the 13th of March, 2021.
The decision comes after an emergency meeting on Monday that concluded in the evening in Morocco, the ZamFoot Crew understands.
The meeting analysed the current Covid-19 situation in the host country and resolved to cancel the tournament with immediate effect.
This is despite five of the 12 qualified teams having already arrived in Morocco for the games. Zambia, Uganda, Senegal and Ivory Coast are already in Morocco shaping up for the tournament.
CAF last week successfully concluded the U20 Africa Cup of Nations tournament that was hosted by Mauritania and won by Ghana.
🔴 Details in a moment. pic.twitter.com/o8pwbcV9sp
— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) March 8, 2021
Morocco in 2014 pulled out of hosting the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournament at the last minute amid fears of the spread of the Ebola virus.
The Zambia national team will now be out of Morocco on the next flight out as they wait for news on the way forward.
This is very sad indeed for our continent how can a country like Morocco fail to host and yet Mauritania a less developed country successfully hosted the under 20 amid the covid20 pandemic the reason given is unacceptable there is more to it than meets the eye
CAF should come out clearly about the sad development which injures our feelings as football lovers. Football is being played in all leagues name them. Covid-19 should not be un excuse just say the country is not prepared and there failure is CAF’s to hold the tournament.
Prevention is better than cure boi.
Hat off CAF
But Caf also didn’t do its work this was supposed to be assessed long before the tournament was about to kick off…
Why wait till the last minute? Shame
But why did they have to wait until the last minute? It’s very unfortunate. Hope all the teams that had travelled already will be reimbursed in full all the costs incurred.
While I understand the need to be safe and live to play another day, I do not get why it took this long to make a decision. Please refund us the money incurred for travel expenses and give us an explanation for such incompetence
I think Morocco must be barned for hosting tonarments even last time they failed 2 host in 2015 at last minute coz of ebola now again happened at the same time at last minute CAf please take action on Morocco bt they need 2 face a good burn i thank u
CAF should come out clean, they have bended because Morocco has an issue with South Africa and now they have affected the game.
Remember Morocco Even denied kaizer chief’s visa during CAF championship league and the game was played in bukina Faso.
So CAF should just come up open that the tournament is cancelled because Morocco has denied visa for south Africa under 17 team
I also don’t understand why a last minute call was made to cancel the Tournament. To be quiet honest out of all the Countries that qualified there is no big out outbreak of Covid19 except in South Africa where the numbers have also gone down and the country is on the last level of Lockdown that’s Level 1.
CAF could have asked South Africa or all these other countries to come a week early and then Self Quarantine in a Hotel or at a location and then do tests after quarantine.
How did the allow the other 5 Countries in already if there was an issue? I agree with Col muju, a 100% Morocco has an issue with RSA. Remember Morocco lost the hosting of the 2010 World Cup to RSA and they were not happy they felt “cheated” by South Africa being allowed to host after they had been trying to Bid way before RSA.
POLITICS is at play. I feel for the young boys who were ready and had spent months of preparation. I read on Twitter that about 4 young boys from Uganda missed their Final Grade 12 exams just to make the team. Our boys have been in Camp for 3 months as well.