Confederation of Africa Football president, Ahmad Ahmad says his organisation should not be blamed if a country is stripped of Africa Cup of Nations hosting rights, and instead the hosts should be held liable for any potential setback.
Cameroon will know if they will remain as 2019 AFCON tournament hosts when CAF congress meet next week in Egypt.
The CAF boss stated that his organisation should not be blamed for any decision on Cameroon, whose fate will be discussed in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.
“Let CAF meet at the end of the month, and you will hear, by our means of communication, what is the position of CAF in relation to that,” Ahmad was quoted as saying by French radio station RFI.
“There will be a decision or there will be an ultimatum. We need to meet together, with the members of the (Executive) Committee.
“What I can tell you is that it is not CAF that withdraws AFCON from one country or another. It is the country that is not ready and that is (what) withdraws itself. CAF simply puts a specification.
“You are ready, we are organising, you are not ready, it means that you are withdrawing yourself from this organisation.
“The reality is that it is the country that wants or does not want. And the reproach must go to the country, not to CAF.”
The central African country’s capacity to successfully stage an expanded 24-team tournament has come under scrutiny. They were initially handed rights to organise the tournament in 2014 when it comprised of just 16.
There’s been mixed opinions on whether Cameroon could lose hosting rights, but last month Ahmad gave assurances that there was no plan B.
CAF vice president Amaju Pinnick also recently stated that the tournament will not be taken away from Cameroon.
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