Astute Football Administrator Reacts To Kotoko-Nouadhibou Called-Off Game, Declares Porcupines Winners

 

Asante Kotoko had their second leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round game against FC Nouadhibou called off this afternoon at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The game was called off after the Mauritanian club insisted on fielding two players who have tested positive for Coronavirus.

CAF medical staff on duty informed the away side not to name the infected players in the squad but the said players appeared for a warm-up and had their names in the starting eleven.

The Mauritanian champions told the match officials that they do not trust the test results conducted by the Ghanaian health officials, therefore, they would not drop them from the game, necessitating the call off.

This has raised debate to what decision the African Football governing body will take. However, an astute football administrator Samuel Oduro Nyarko has stated unequivocally that Kotoko has qualified according to the CAF rules.

“You cannot use Covid as an excuse not to play games according to Caf regulations. Caf will sanction the club for not honouring the game. They were required to play the game. Kotoko has qualified by what the regulations state,”Oduro Nyarko said in an interview with Kumasi-based Light FM after the game was cancelled.

The match officials will state the facts of the game to CAF and the General Secretary will refer the matter to the Disciplinary Committee to decide whether the match should be awarded to Kotoko, Nouadibou or be replayed.

There could be sanctions if a team is caught to have refused to play in contravention of CAF rules and regulations.