The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria three points and three goals in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, following an incident where the Nigerian team was stranded at a Libyan airport. Additionally, Libya has been fined $50,000, payable within 60 days.
Background of the Incident
Earlier this month, the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, traveled to Libya for an AFCON qualifying match. Upon arrival, their flight was diverted to Al Abraq Airport, approximately 230 kilometers from Benghazi, the intended destination. The team was left at the airport for over 18 hours without access to food, water, or communication facilities.
Nigeria’s Response
Due to the unfavorable conditions and concerns for player safety, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) decided to withdraw from the match and arranged for the team’s return home. A formal complaint was lodged with CAF regarding the treatment received in Libya.
CAF’s Decision
After reviewing the incident, CAF’s Disciplinary Committee concluded that Libya violated CAF statutes and regulations. Consequently, Nigeria was awarded a 3-0 victory, and Libya was fined $50,000. This decision increases Nigeria’s points tally in the AFCON qualifiers to 10, with two matches remaining against Benin Republic and Rwanda citeturn0search6.
Implications
This ruling emphasizes CAF’s commitment to ensuring fair treatment and security for all teams participating in its competitions. It also serves as a deterrent to prevent similar incidents in the future.
