Libya and Ivory Coast qualifiers moved
Reuters - Tuesday 22 March 2011, 13:41
JOHANNESBURG - Libya and Ivory Coast
must play scheduled African Nations Cup qualifiers on neutral
turf this weekend because of the precarious security situation
in their countries, CAF confirmed on Tuesday.
Libyan troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi have been hit by air
strikes by a western coalition since the weekend, prompting the
Confederation of African Football to switch Libya's match
against Comoros Islands from Tripoli to Bamako, Mali on Monday.
The Ivorians said last week they were not prepared to move
their Group H match against Benin from Abidjan in spite of
growing violence which has resulted in around 400 deaths since
the disputed November election outcome.
However, CAF has now ordered them to play the tie in
neighbouring Ghana. It will be held in Accra on Sunday.
There are 21 qualifying matches across the continent this
weekend as the preliminaries for the 2012 finals, co-hosted by
Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, reach the halfway stage.
The Ivory Coast have also switched a qualifying match for
the under-23 side, bidding for a place at the football
tournament at the London Olympics, to Ghana this weekend.