Morocco stand by its decision to postpone AFCON 2015

The King of Morocco, Mohamed VI and his subjects have respected the deadline fixed by CAF to make it known no later than Saturday, November 08, if they want to still organize the finals of the Africa Nations Cup on the planned dates.

Faced with this ultimatum from the Executive Committee of CAF launched on Monday, November 03, Morocco in response reiterated the substance of their application sent last month to the branch of the Confederation of African football.

Still noting the Ebola epidemic that prevails and kills people in several African countries, the Moroccan authorities intend to make the conduct of the final phase of AFCON 2015 originally scheduled Saturday, January 17th to Sunday, February 08, postponed.

Since CAF relied on the reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) to reject the request of the host country, Morocco in its reply of yesterday to CAF, said it is also based on a report from the WHO that they persist in their application requiring the "postponement of the AFCON 2015 to 2016" indicated the country with precision on 2016, the year for which they believe conditions will be favourable for holding this event.

"Due to the pandemic risk of the Ebola virus and the adverse and uncontrollable consequences that it could lead to, in terms of human losses, Morocco made the request to postpone a deliberation based on authentic health facts.

Indeed, according to information from the Ministry of health in Morocco, relying on the recommendations of the national scientific committee, based itself on the most recent reports of the World Health Organization (WHO), and on the assessment of the situation, show clearly how Ebola pandemic is a severe and often fatal disease.

This decision (request for deferral of AFCON 2015) is therefore essentially motivated by the medical risks that would run this virus on the health of African citizens.

"WHO recognizes clearly that mass gathering are factors that increase the risk of importation and international spread of communicable diseases, the fact that these gatherings attract a large number of visitors from different countries" a release from the Moroccan Minister of sports noted.

It is, therefore, mainly for medical reasons that the Morocco requested the postponement of the most popular African competition.

At the end of a Forum in Cairo in Egypt, meeting whose conclusions are awaited with impatience, they will soon be fixed on the fate of the final phase of AFCON 2015. The sages of CAF will not BE easy after the resistance displayed by Morocco notwithstanding the threats of penalties.

Failing to comply with the wishes of Morocco, CAF will decide Tuesday either to postpone the competition or to activate plan B, which will lead to the award of the organization to another country.