The CAF punitive decision holds lessons for all
We commend the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) for safeguarding its integrity by finding Libya liable of a serious breach in the botched AFCON 2025 Match qualifier with Nigeria. The Libya Football Federation (LFF), according to CAF, contravened Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. CAF then awarded three goals and three points to Nigeria and ordered the LFF to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days. The pronouncement has effectively cleared the path for the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2025 AfCON in Morocco as they take control of Group D with 10 points and a goal surplus of seven, having also not conceded any goal in the group.
The circumstances that led to CAF decision were clear. The Super Eagles had left Nigeria for the North African country via Kano but were left stranded at the Al Abaq Airport for over 15 hours by Libyan officials who strangely diverted the flight from Benghazi and forced the pilot to land in the evening at a distant destination. And this is despite the fact that the Al Abaq Airport lacked the control navigators for landing at such hours. Due to the hostility of the Libyan authorities, our players and their officials were forced to sleep overnight on bare couches in the arrival hall of an abandoned airport. The Nigeria delegation comprising 22 players and accompanying officials, and some selected journalists were also refused airport protocol, including security, food, water and immigration clearance. The apparent act of hostility prompted the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to decide to put safety first by jettisoning the match and flying back home.
The CAF sanction against Libya is welcome as it would serve as deterrent to other countries employing despicable means to win football matches at all costs. As a matter of fact, we feel that the CAF Disciplinary Committee could have been more severe on Libya for this outrageous behaviour that should never be tolerated in organised football. Libya is notorious for employing such psychological weapons to demoralise visiting African nations and club sides before crucial encounters. In 2021, the Libyan football authority switched off the light inside the stadium where the Nigerian team, Rivers United FC were training ahead of their match the next day. Such conducts have no place in civilised environment where the 'Beautiful Game' acts more as a unifying factor.
However, while we welcome the sanctions on Libya for their unsportsmanlike conduct, authorities in Nigeria must also reexamine how we welcome visitors into the country. On several occasions, personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have created unnecessary bottlenecks that are not in tandem with best practices around the world. For instance, available reports indicate that when they came for their match in Nigeria the Libyan national team suffered unpleasant experience at the Port Harcourt Airport and believed that it was intended to punish them. Secondly, the stress the Libyans passed through on their way to Uyo reflects the state of most inter-state roads in the country. If the roads were in top shape, the Libyans would not complain of deliberately being made to pass through 'unpaved roads' to Uyo from the Garden City.
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Finally, there is an urgent need for the NFF to upgrade how its protocol unit handles affairs of visiting teams. Proper documentation must be made at all times. They must refrain from conducting official affairs on the telephone without proof of such meetings taking place. Nigeria must realise that CAF and football governing body, FIFA will now be interested on how we treat visiting football teams in Nigeria.
