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23.11.2014 Sports News

COSAFA snubs Morocco's FIFA Club World Cup invite, WAFU must follow suit

By ghanasoccernet.com
COSAFA snubs Morocco's FIFA Club World Cup invite, WAFU must follow suit
23.11.2014 LISTEN

COSAFA member nations have resolved to turn down ex-2015 Africa Cup hosts Morocco's invitation to grace the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup next month, a move other regional bodies  in Africa must endorse.

Cosafa, the body which represents the Southern Africa region, reached this position after Morocco's earlier standoff with CAF to have the 2015 Africa Cup postponed due to the Ebola epidemic.

This shows the regional body's disgust over Morocco's decision not to host the AFCON yet would find it prudent to hold the Club World Cup few weeks before the AFCON was scheduled to have taken place in the country.

This move is likely to be followed by others regional bodies like WAFU and CECAFA who are all angry over Morocco's decision to pull out at the very last days.

COSAFA said in a statement that it found Morocco's stance over the Ebola issue unfortunate and thanked CAF for standing its ground over the staging of the tournament in January.

“Nothing also that the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football has indicated its intention to host the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup despite its claim that the risk of importing the Ebola virus is high as it pertains to the 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations Final Tournament,” COSAFA stated.

“COSAFA deems it necessary that One: To express its view that the reasons advanced by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football are not acceptable to it and its Member Federations and is an affront to the dignity of all Africans.

“Secondly, to advise its Members and the African football family not to accept the said invitations from the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football to attend the opening of the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup scheduled for December 2014.

“Thirdly, that a letter must be written to the CAF President to thank him for his resolute and principled stance not to agree to a postponement of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Final Tournament and not to accept the reasons for the proposed postponement.”

CAF has since resolved to stage the tournament in Equatorial Guinea on the same dates from January 17 to February 8.

The FIFA Club World Cup will be held from December 10-20.

Africa will be represented at the FIFA Club World Cup by Entente Setif of Algeria while Morocco will field their domestic champions Moghreb Tetouan.

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