The Confederation of African Football has confirmed that Equatorial Guinea has been named the host for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, according to the BBC. CAF selected a replacement for Morocco after "rejecting their request to delay" the Jan. 17-Feb. 8 event. Morocco was concerned over the "spread of the outbreak of the Ebola virus." Equatorial Guinea will now "take on sole responsibility for holding the 16-team event." CAF said the decision was made after a meeting in Malabo on Friday between Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang and CAF President Issa Hayatou. African football's governing body also announced that Equatorial Guinea will play in the tournament -- "despite the team being disqualified in July for fielding an ineligible player in a preliminary qualifier against Mauritania" on May 17 (BBC, 11/14). GBC GHANA reported CAF said in a statement, "The four cities selected for the finals are Malabo, Bata, Mongomo and Ebebiyin. The draw for the finals will take place Wednesday, December 3, 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea." The "oil-rich Spanish-speaking" country hosted the '12 finals with neighbor Gabon (GBC GHANA, 11/14).
DESPERATE TIMES: ESPN's Firdose Moonda wrote the truth is that the CAF was "desperate and had to pick a host country, no matter who it was." With only 64 days to kick off, there was "no time to mull over merits, especially as more countries shied away from hosting than were interested." South Africa, Ghana and even Egypt, who are "keen to improve their image, all said they were not in a position to host ANC." Whether Equatorial Guinea "will be able to pull it off remains to be seen." When it hosted two years ago, it shared the competition and "only two" of its cities were needed. This time, "they have taken on the whole thing and will need to use four venues." But one thing the country "is not short of is resources and if they need funds to come up with a quick fix solution, they are certain to get it" (ESPN, 11/14).
POSSIBLE PUNISHMENT: FRANCE 24 reported Hayatou suggested Friday a "possible four-year suspension for Morocco, by making comparisons to a previous case in which Nigeria was sanctioned" in ’96. Deprived of hosting the 2015 Africa Cup as well as the national’s team’s participation in the competition, Morocco is "now waiting to know whether it will be sanctioned" by CAF. When asked about possible penalties for Morocco, Hayatou explained that the governing body of African football must be consistent. Hayatou: “Our regulations will be applied. They are clear. Remember, in 1996, Nigeria boycotted the competition. The President refused to let his country go to South Africa. For four years, they were suspended. … There will be no double standards. We must not sacrifice this established state of mind. That could cause serious damage to African football” (FRANCE 24, 11/14).
