Do not snub Afcon-Alain Giresse

Alain Giresse

Senegal coach Alain Giresse has described Morocco’s intention to abandon or postpone the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations as excessive.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation last week asked for permission to put off the competition due to threats of the Ebola virus which has claimed 4500 lives, according to the World Health Organisation.
Caf turned down that request and announced a meeting with Moroccan officials to discuss the matter on the sidelines of the body’s executive committee meeting in Algeria on November 2.
The French coach said if the Kingdom walked out on the tournament it could consequently create a generalised social phobia over Ebola beyond the African continent.
“We cannot ignore the threats of the Ebola virus, but it is hard to understand that such a huge tournament would be postponed. For how long, one month, two, six, one year or would they eventually abandon it?” Giresse said on Friday.
“That would be a brutal decision. Has the Moroccan government adequately consulted? If an Afcon edition is to be abandoned or postponed because of Ebola there would be a lot of consequences even beyond football.
“That means there should be not movement of people, crowds from one place to the other. And this would create a social phobia over the virus, which we must try to avoid, for the sake of Africans themselves who also travel beyond the continent,” he said.
The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations is set to hold in Morocco from January 17 to February 8 across four cities, but the November 2 meeting between Caf and Morocco FA could alter the arrangement.
Caf has contacted some other countries including Ghana and South Africa if they could host the tournament if Morocco pulls out.
By SuperSports