The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has condemned the unacceptable remarks made by Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis on African players.
De Laurentiis recently stated that he would not sign African players unless they provided written guarantees they would not participate in the Africa Cup of Nations.
As this is played in January and February, players can be ruled out for up to six weeks if they participate in the tournament, without the usual World Cup provisions to stop domestic leagues.
“CAF is appCAFalled by the irresponsible and unacceptable remarks made by Napoli President, Mr Aurelio De Laurentiis on African players and the Africa Cup of Nations,”.
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“By publicly declaring that players who sign for Napoli must sign a waiver denouncing participation in the Africa Cup of Nations as a condition of employment, De Laurentiis’ comments likely to fall under Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. CAF therefore urges UEFA to initiate disciplinary investigation against him.
“CAF is committed to the role that football plays in Africa, Europe, North and South America, Asia and globally of bringing together and uniting people of different cultures, language groups, races, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.
“We have no doubt that Napoli and UEFA are as committed as CAF is to these global humanitarian objectives.
“Are we to assume that the Chairman of Napoli is going to include similar restrictive conditions to players from South America, Asia and other Confederations prohibiting them from playing in their Continental competitions which are important for the development and growth of football globally?
“The African Cup of Nations is the flagship competition of the African continent and one of the leading global football competitions. Its last edition in Cameroon was shown in more than 160 countries and attracted more than 600 million viewers.”
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COMMENTS
Caf please! you are killing our africa europen club players what about the other club that dont talk are mess up our players underground like what they did to Nwakali and Aina after when they came back from afrcon ? why move it to january again ?? because of rainnig reason ? this is century get weather proff stadium ,play it in country where you can cover the top of the stadium, or play it in country which have no raining season in june ,or if you talking about players been fatgue plays every 3 to 4 years and promote other competitions well.
Why this partial rule towards African players?
Are players from other continents also forbidden to play in their respective continental tournaments?
I think those African players would be better off avoiding Napoli. His statement is a signal of the disregard and disdain they would experience if they are to play there.
Do other continents hold their continental championships right at the peak of the season in January/February….?
Or is it only in Africa rain falls in June…? Every other continent, governed by sensible administrators know that its only sensible for their tournaments to be held when league seasons are over, but the black brained CAF sees the middle of season as a perfect time to use AFCON to cause a distraction.
U17 and U20 AFCON qualifying tournaments were held in June and July this year across the continent, no region recorded any disruptions to those tournaments. Even West (WAFU A and B) and Central African (CECAFA) where rain falls the most did not record any issues. WAFCON also held and there was no disruptions. AFCON qualifiers were played across Africa in June in a space of 2-3 weeks, no match was disturbed or postponed because of rain.
Yet CAF goes about fooling themselves that AFCON cannot be held in June because of rain while indirectly causing harm to the careers of African players featuring in European leagues.
By the way, I though we know how to hold rain in Africa. What stops CAF from investing that rain-holding “technology” and develop it for use at AFCONS in June. Would that not be a big plus to Africa….? If rain is the problem, its a perfect opportunity for CAF to upgrade the quality of pitches we have in Africa by mandating hosts to build self draining pitches that can be playable on even during a monsoon. This is 2022 for God’s sake
CAF is just a bunch of clueless, lazy and incompetent people. If not for FIFA, qualifying matches would still be played in Africa in venues like that one in Sierra Leone.
The earlier they started behaving like other confederations so as to avoid this disrespect, the better for them and for the continent as a whole.
You don’t demand for respect, you EARN it. Napoli president will never complain about South American or Asia players because they play their own versions of AFCON in the holiday period where no club really gives a damn about what’s going on in other continents because the season has been done and dusted.
It was for this same reason Sir Alex Ferguson avoided African players during his time. CAF should stop hurting our players’ careers with their awful brand of administration and organization
Look at this crazy parrot spilling nonsense has usual. Why didn’t you tell FIFA to hold the Sun the Qatar so they can host the World cup in the summer. It’s is ass-lickers like you that would appreciate the racist comment. Please share with us where Sir Ferguson avoided signing African players because of the Nations cup in January, another lie as usual. Why could Uefa adjust there schedule for the world cup and not do the same for CAF, Double standard as usual. Why don’t you run for CAF president when the next election holds. Seems your spicy food are finished or about. Will call the Zoo keepers to send you back to your dungeon to cool off. Seems the heat is exploding your brains
Oh, I see.
Thank you for providing this context. I understand better now.
You people are mad, instead of doing the needful,the necessary,the right thing you guys are there condemning someone who is very frustrated with your archaic policies and was bold enough to speak out,if afcon was played in June do you guys think the likes of klopp and co will call it a little tournament let alone give players conditions for participating in it? Instead of reprogramming and restructuring our football, you’re busy promoting cosafa teams and you think you’re not breaching any rules by doing so.
Kindly suggest to us what they need to do? one idiot has suggested they hold the rain? Don’t know why his village people have not left his tainted brain. Would it be Fair for the same countries with favourable weather like Europe continue to Host the tournament. It’s like it would hurt UEFA to adjust there schedule for us every 2 years.