By Samuel Timothy
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded Nigeria a 3-0 victory over Libya following an intense dispute that marred their recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. The ruling, issued by CAF’s Disciplinary Board, cited multiple breaches of regulations by the Libya Football Federation (LFF) and highlighted the mistreatment suffered by the Nigerian players upon arrival in Libya.
CAF Sanction on Libya Football Federation
CAF’s decision to award Nigeria a 3-0 forfeit victory came after the LFF was found to have breached Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations, along with Articles 82 and 151 of CAF’s Disciplinary Code. The October 15 match, initially scheduled to be held in Benghazi, was forfeited in Nigeria’s favor, with CAF citing Libya’s violations as the reason for the harsh penalty. CAF went further to impose a fine of $50,000 on the LFF, payable within 60 days, highlighting the seriousness of the infractions.
The official ruling stated, “The match No.87 Libya v. Nigeria…is declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0),” a penalty that emphasizes CAF’s intent to maintain strict adherence to its regulations. This decision not only affects Libya’s qualification standing but also sends a clear warning about CAF’s intolerance for non-compliance with hosting standards.
Allegations of ‘Inhumane Treatment’ Against Nigerian Team
The Nigerian team’s experience upon their arrival in Libya was one of the primary triggers for the CAF investigation. According to reports, Nigerian players endured over 16 hours of delays in an abandoned airport, during which they were allegedly deprived of access to essential amenities like food, water, and communication channels.
Captain William Troost-Ekong expressed the team’s frustration, labeling the conditions “inhumane” and noting that the team felt compelled to boycott the match for their own safety.
A Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) spokesperson had earlier made it known that the National team decided not to proceed with the scheduled bus journey to the match venue in Benghazi due to safety concerns, as Victor Ikpeba a former Super Eagles player urged CAF to impose severe punishment on Libya for what he described as “a high-risk environment” that compromised the safety of visiting teams.
Libya’s Response and CAF’s Ruling
In response to the accusations, the LFF denied any deliberate wrongdoing, as they deemed CAF ruling to be “great injustice.” “There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident,” the LFF stated.
In addition to the forfeit and financial penalty, CAF has prohibited Libya from hosting its next three home matches, a decision that reflects CAF’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of visiting teams. This sanction will force Libya to play these games at neutral venues, effectively reducing their home-ground advantage in the ongoing AFCON qualifiers.
