National Sports Commission's Director General, Chief Patrick Ekeji yesterday urged the African Union (AU) Department of Social Affairs to convene a meeting of Conference of African Sports Ministers of Sports (CAMS) to decide the way forward on the decision of CAF to hand two Nations Cup ban to Togo for boycotting last month's African Cup of Nations in Angola.

CAF last week announced a two Cup of Nations ban on Togo following the country's withdrawal from the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola over attack on their team bus in Cabinda which left an assistant coach and media officer dead.

The African football governing body says the decision to pull the team out amounted to governmental interference in the sport.

"The players publicly expressed their willingness to return to the Nations Cup to compete, but the Togo government decided to call back their national team," CAF explained in its statement.

It added that "The decision by political authorities contravenes CAF and African Nations Cup regulations".

Ekeji, in a letter addressed to the Honourable Commissioner Department of Social Affairs in the African Union Commission, described the decision as "the highest degree of insensitivity on the part of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)".

Ekeji, in the letter dated 1st February, 2009 condemned the decision of CAF to suspend an African country from participating in its activities over interference by government.

According to Ekeji, what is most disturbing is the fact that CAF is aware of the fact that governments of African countries have the responsibility of protecting their citizens when it is obvious that they are exposed to danger.

"The decision, to say the least smirks of the highest degree of insensitivity on the part of the Confederation of African Football. The Confederation of African Football cannot pretend to be oblivious of the fact that in Africa football is seen and accorded the highest level of attention by the Governments in Africa in terms of policies and, of course governments has the responsibility of protecting its citizens when they are exposed to danger", Ekeji stated.

Consequently, he said the Togolese Government is at liberty to take the decision to withdraw its national team from the just concluded Nations Cup after its citizens were gun down in cold blood; adding that the sanctity of life and respect for the dead should take precedence over Article 78 of CAF's Cobstitution.