The government of Cameroon and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday announced the postponement “to a later date” of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) due to the coronavirus pandemic.
By Félix Cyriaque Ebolé Bola
The tournament which features the best players based on the continent was scheduled for Cameroon from April 4 to 25, 2020.
In a statement issued at the end of an ordinary session held on Tuesday, the Local Organizing Committee of the competition referred to “critical considerations related to this international public health emergency,” but also “a force majeure” that made it necessary to reschedule the competition.
“In this perspective, the new dates will be decided according to the evolution of the situation and communicated in due time,” Sports Minister Narcisse Mouellè Kombi said in statement.
A few hours earlier, CAF’s emergency committee had sent correspondence to the national associations qualified for CHAN 2020, in which it referred to a growing concern about the Covid-19 and the report of the medical inspection visit recently conducted in the host country.
In order to avoid “any unnecessary risk,” the body stated that the CAF is closely monitoring the situation and is working with the competent authorities such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the impact of the virus on the continent and on CAF competitions.
It also assured the recipients of its correspondence that it will “propose potential new dates in due course and as the situation improves.”
FCEB/cgd/lb/as/APA