Cash-strapped Chad fined $20,000 for Nations Cup pullout
Cash-strapped Chad were fined $20,000 on Sunday for pulling out of
the Africa Cup of Nations on the grounds they could not afford the trip
to play a qualifying game.
Chad had been due to travel to Tanzania for Monday’s game in Dar El
Salam but their football federation said the coffers were almost empty
due to a financial crisis.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said Chad would be fined and banned from the next edition.
“Our country is suffering the effects of the global economic crisis
and, as a consequence, our participation in various competitions has
taken a serious blow due to financial shortages,” said a Chad federation
statement.
Chad had been playing in Group G for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Gabon.
Their withdrawal leaves Egypt, Nigeria and Tanzania to fight for the lone qualifying spot for the finals.
