CAF BANS MORROCO FOR TWO AFCONS AND 9 MILLION DOLLARS

Morocco have been banned from competing in the
next two Africa Cup of Nations for refusing to
stage the 2015 tournament.
The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) stood
down as hosts because of the Ebola virus epidemic,
after an initial request for a postponement was
rejected by the Confederation of Africa Football
(CAF), and the event was subsequently switched to
Equatorial Guinea.
CAF has now decided to fine the North African
country $1,000,000 (€830,000) for their late
withdrawal and exclude the Atlas Lions from the
2017 and 2019 African Cup of Nations tournaments.
They are also to pay an amount of 8.05 million
euros (9.6 million dollars) ) in compensation for all
material damage sustained by CAF, stakeholders
and partners as a result of the decision not to host
AFCON 2015.
Below is the full statement by CAF
The CAF Executive Committee, meeting in Malabo,
Equatorial Guinea on the side lines of the 30th
edition of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations took
action on the refusal of Morocco to host this
competition as scheduled and agreed i.e. from 17
January to 8 February 2015.
Morocco had based its request to postpone the
tournament by a year on 10th October, 2014, on
allegations "of the highest health risk". Morocco
cited the outbreak of the Ebola virus as a case of
force majeure in justifying its request for
postponement, citing in particular the risk of
contamination of its population because of
anticipated fans' flows.
CAF raised objections and inadmissibility of
Morocco's request who were obliged to state their
position of withdrawal from the organization of the
2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations by 11 November
2014.
The Executive Committee considered that, contrary
to what the Royal Moroccan Football Federation
cited, force majeure cannot be accepted for the
benefit of the federation.
Thus, according to the provisions of Articles 7.1.a,
23.11 and 62 of the Statutes of CAF and in
accordance with Article 41 of the Application of
the Statutes of CAF regulations and according to
Article 92.4 of the competition rules and the
terms of the Framework Agreement signed for the
Orange AFCON 2015, the CAF Executive Committee
decided to suspend the national team of Morocco
from the next two editions of the Africa Cup of
Nations, 2017 and 2019, and to impose on the
federation the regulatory fine of US$ 1 million
(One million United States Dollars).
The CAF Executive Committee decided by a
separate measure to be borne by the Royal
Moroccan Football Federation the sum of eight
million and fifty thousand euros (8.05 million
euros) in compensation for all material damage
sustained by CAF, stakeholders and partners as a
result of the decision not to host AFCON 2015.