Chairman of the Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Initiative, Harrison Jalla, has expressed disappointment with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for annulling Edo Queens' victory in the WAFU B women's tournament. The tournament, held in Burkina Faso, is a qualifying competition for the CAF Women's Champions League. Edo Queens defeated Ampem Darkoa Ladies of Ghana 4-1 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 2-2 in regular time.
The Ghana Football Association protested the result, citing that the match officials and organisers should have allowed the match to go into extra time before penalty kicks. CAF upheld Ghana's protest, stating that the direct resort to penalty kicks after regular time breached Articles 13.1 and 72.4 of the CAF Women's Champions League regulations. This decision has sparked controversy, with Jalla criticizing CAF's handling of the situation.
Jalla questioned the competence of CAF's 54-member federations in organizing championships, citing a history of blunders. He referenced the last Nations Cup in Morocco, where CAF overturned Senegal's victory over Morocco. Jalla argued that CAF's actions are embarrassing the continent and called for the confederation to reorganize itself.
According to Jalla, the rules clearly state that there should be 15 minutes of extra time before penalty kicks. He asked who authorized the match officials to proceed to penalty kicks, suggesting that they may not have been conversant with the rules. Jalla urged CAF to allow football games to be won and lost on the field of play.
Jalla also called for CAF to invoke disciplinary measures against its staff and committee members, rather than subjecting the continent to constant embarrassment. He emphasized that Edo Queens have no reason to honour a replay and that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) must make this clear to CAF.
The WAFU B Tournament is an important competition for African women's football, and the controversy surrounding Edo Queens' victory has raised concerns about CAF's ability to manage such events. Jalla's criticism has highlighted the need for CAF to review its organizational structures and procedures.
The outcome of this situation remains uncertain, with Edo Queens' fate in the competition hanging in the balance. CAF's decision to uphold Ghana's protest has sparked debate, and it remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved. One thing is clear, however: the controversy has exposed weaknesses in CAF's organizational systems.
Key points
- CAF's decision to annul Edo Queens' victory has sparked controversy in African women's football.
- Harrison Jalla has criticized CAF for its handling of the situation, citing a history of blunders.
- The outcome of the situation remains uncertain, with Edo Queens' fate in the competition hanging in the balance.
