As most of you know, on the eve of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations football tournament the team from Togo faced the unimaginable when their bus was shot at by rebels seeking independence for Cabinda. Naturally, after suffering death, injury, and considerable emotional trauma Togo chose to withdraw from the tournament.
Well, the tone deaf masters of The African Football Confederation (CAF) have punished the Togolese with a two-tournament suspension from the biennial event, charging Togo’s prime minister Gilbert Huongbo with political interference. This is loathsome on every level. The idea that sports and politics are unrelated is an absurdity and a farce and always has been. The hosts of the event, Angola, have used the tournament as a dog and pony show, as does every host. And of course the sole reason Togo pulled out was because of political division in Angola.
Let’s hope that FIFA, the African Union, the United Nations or all three step in and restore some semblence of sanity. The self-important nitwits at CAF need an upbraiding and they need it quick. On the eve of the tournament championship, pitting a hobbled Ghana and a seemingly indomitable Egypt side, the only thing much of the world will ever know about this tournament is the utterly inane and gasp-inducingly insensitive decision by the solons at CAF.
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