Caf president Ahmad rubbishes Comoros Cas case against Cameroon

Caf president Ahmad Ahmad says the case filed by Comoros at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) asking for Cameroon to be kicked out of the 2019 Afcon finals has no merit.

Cameroon was stripped of the 2019 Afcon hosting rights due to ill-preparedness and Egypt has replaced them.

Cameroon will host the 2021 edition.

However, Comoros are seeking the Indomitable Lions' expulsion from the Afcon tournament citing Article 92 of Caf regulations.

According to Article 92: “If a country having been entrusted with the organisation of the final tournament of the Africa Cup of Nations is desisting or the tournament is being withdrawn from it, it shall be subject, in addition to further disciplinary sanctions, to a fine fixed according to the following scale:

“92.3. Withdrawal notified within one year before the date of the final tournament: a fine of five hundred thousand (500,000) U.S. dollars and a suspension of the next edition of Afcon of it’s A national team, without considering the concerned edition.”

But Ahmad has hit back saying Comoros’ case does not hold water.

“They are fourth in their group. Even if they believe that Cameroon does not deserve to be at the Afcon, Cameroon has just shown on the pitch that they deserve qualification. Everything must first be played on the pitch,” Ahmad was quoted as saying by Radio France International.

“As for the victory on paper, it really takes some irregularities for this to be taken into account. Our rules are clear. Clause 92 talks about withdrawal. And legally this is not the case. So section 92 does not apply. It was Caf who decided to postpone the Afcon of Cameroon, and make this shift (now in 2021, edition).

“It is postponement, not cancellation of the Afcon in Cameroon. Cameroon is not affected by this article that the Comoros want to use.”

It is not yet clear when Cas will make their ruling.

Cameroon qualified from Group B where Comoros finished at the basement with five points after they were beaten 3-0 by the Indomitable Lions in the last qualifying game.