STARS IN EUROPE - CAMEROON - Samuel Eto'o urges stricter racism punishments

Ex-Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o wants stricter punishments to combat racism.

11 Mar 2015
NATIONAL TEAM - MALI - COACH - Henryk Kasperczak leaves job

Mali have parted ways with coach Henryk Kasperczak.

10 Mar 2015
AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2015 - CONGO DR - TP Mazembe's Ivorian keeper Gbohouo

Ivory Coast and TP Mazembe goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo has flown to Qatar for treatment on his knee injury.

9 Mar 2015
U-20 AFRICAN CUP 2015 - ZAMBIA - The Chipolopolo optimistic heading into championship

When Zambia were crowned African champions three years ago, great football things were expected.

8 Mar 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - TUNISIA - CLUB - Tunisia's Abdennour signs contract extension with Monaco

Tunisia international Aymen Abdennour has signed a one-year contract extension with French side AS Monaco.

8 Mar 2015
NATIONAL TEAM - SENEGAL - Aliou Cisse appointed as new coach

Former international midfielder Aliou Cisse has been appointed Senegal coach.

5 Mar 2015
NATIONAL TEAM - IVORY COAST - Africa Cup 2015 hero Boubacar Barry retires from internationals

Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry has announced his international retirement.

4 Mar 2015
U-17 AFRICA CUP 2015 - MALI - new Champions after a 2:0 victory over South Africa

Mali have been crowned the 2015 African Under 17 Champions after a 2:0 victory over South Africa in the final in Niamey on Sunday.

3 Mar 2015
NATIONAL TEAM - EGYPT - Hector Cuper appointed as new coach

Argentine Hector Cuper is the new coach of Egypt.

3 Mar 2015

2015 AFRICA CUP - CAF - EBOLA AND NATIONS CUP - SOUTH AFRICA RULE OUT BEING 2015 HOSTS

AFRICA CUP 2015

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) approached South Africa last week, after Morocco asked to postpone the event because of the Ebola crisis.

"I can tell you unambiguously and categorically that hosting is a no no," Mbalula told South African media.

"Our budget cycle will not allow it - it is totally impossible."

South Africa were among seven countries sounded out by CAF as possible replacements for Morocco, who have major concerns about hosting the 17 January to 8 February tournament.

Almost 4,500 people have died in the Ebola epidemic that broke out in west Africa at the start of the year and Morocco youth and sports minister Mohamed Ouzzine said on Thursday he does not think the tournament can happen as planned.

Moroccan officials will meet with CAF on 3 November to discuss the situation.

Whatever the outcome, South Africa have made their stance clear.

Mbalula said the country had a responsibility to help fight to help fight the Ebola epidemic, with the United Nations predicting a surge in deaths and cases.

"We do not have a ready-made abundance of resources to be shifted to the Nations Cup, " he added. 

"We would like to give this one a pass.

"We will share the responsibility to fight Ebola - we are not immune to that. 

We must be prepared to share our skills, our doctors, to reinforce the research to find a vaccine."

South Africa have twice been emergency hosts of the competition, replacing cash-strapped Kenya in 1996 and strife-torn Libya last year.

Ghana are another of the countries to have been approached by CAF, according to the sports minister of the west African country.

The identities of the other five countries have not been officially revealed.

...

Most of the Ebola deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 

CAF has barred Guinea and Sierra Leone from hosting Nations Cup qualifiers.
 
Liberia were eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

Guinea have staged home fixtures in Moroccan commercial capital Casablanca.

Sierra Leone, having failed to secure a neutral venue, had to play home games against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in Lubumbashi and Yaounde respectively.

20 Oct 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

Related countries

Related articles