The attack on the Togo team bus on Friday once again brought football into an ugly spotlight. In choosing Angola, a nation that has been beset by Civil War since Independence in the mid 1970s to host the Cup of African Nations, the CAF was always running the risk that something terrible like this would happen.
This tournament had already lost much of its luster thanks to the failure of the nations who had qualified for the World Cup to put the necessary focus on the Championship. Ghana, for example left several of its players at their European clubs, while Algeria has made it clear publically that this tournament is a warm up for this summer’s big event.
Angolan officials have pledged to redouble their efforts to safeguard the footballers and the competition. But too much has already been lost. Three deaths from a deadly shooting of a National Team just days away from competing in the Continental Championship is unacceptable. With no Confederations Cup birth on the line and now a team down, this championship must be postponed or cancelled.
The safety of footballers is paramount, especially considering the World Cup this year is on the continent of Africa. Confidence is already low in the security arrangements for this summer in certain quarters of the football press, and the Angola incident will further heighten these concerns.
Yesterday’s incident is also a call to South Africa to increase its security arrangements. While South Africa does not have a Civil War or an ethnic rebellion to deal with, it does have a severe crime circuit, which is well organized.
Africa’s first World Cup is a moment that will be unrivaled in the post-colonial history of the continent. The last thing we want to see is Africa’s moment go up in smoke while footballers are harmed and a competition is undermined.
For that reason, World Cup 2010 must become the focus of the CAF at this moment, working with FIFA and the South African authorities. Cancelation of the 2010 Cup of African Nations allows the proper time and preparation to focus on security arrangements this summer while nor risking any further deaths or black eyes for the African continent.
Just a mess all around, but I think to call the whole thing off would be a slight overreaction. The continent needs these games.
Pull the games out of Cabinda, beef up the security, and play on. Obviously, if something else happens somewhere else, it’s over.
While this is a huge tragedy, what was Togo doing driving over the border by bus into Cabinda, apparently against all recommendations from just about everyone?
Certainly you can make a case for cancelling here, but I think – as with other things – that lets the terrorists win.
[...] raised about whether the tournament should continue. Kartik Krishnaiyer at Set Piece Analysis has called for this year’s African Cup of Nations to be cancelled. But, back at Pitch Invasion, Tom Dunmore [...]