Togo have African Nations Cup ban lifted after Blatter hearing

By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

May 7 – Togo have had their ban from the next two editions of the African Cup of Nations lifted after a mediation hearing today chaired by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, it has been announced.

The African Football Confederation (CAF) had suspended Togo in January after the national team withdrew from the 2010 tournament in Angola following an attack by gunmen on its team bus in which two officials were killed.

CAF said the ban was imposed because of political interference in Togo’s national federation.

The Togolese Federation (TFF) had appealed to the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but had agreed to a mediation hearing before Blatter, who is also a CAS mediator.

Following the hearing, the CAF agreed to propose to its Executive Committee meeting on May 15 that the ban be lifted after the TFF agreed that it did not comply with the CAF competition regulations in relation to the withdrawal of their team Angola.

Blatter said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to find a solution which is satisfactory for both parties.

“The success today is for the entire football community, in particular for African football.

“This shows that we can solve internal disputes within the football family for the benefit of all those who are involved in our game, and in particular for the players.”

Earlier this year the TFF lost an appeal to the CAS that they should be included in the draw for the qualifying tournament for the 2012 African Nations Cup.

The draw will now have to be revised.

Matthieu Reeb, the secretary general of the CAS, welcomed today’s decision.

He said: ”Considering the emotional circumstances surrounding this case, it was very important for the parties to find a reasonable solution to put an end to their dispute.

“This is good news for the players of the Togolese team as well as for the CAS which has been able to bring this mediation to a successful conclusion.”

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