Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has addressed the recent situation involving Nigeria’s Super Eagles at a Libyan airport ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. In his first public comments on the matter, Motsepe condemned the treatment of the Nigerian team but refrained from discussing specific details until a proper investigation is concluded.
During a press conference, he stated, “We should have zero tolerance. When there was this problem of the Nigerian national team in Libya, I will not comment on that because there is a proper investigation.” He emphasized the importance of sportsmanship in football and highlighted a broader issue of mistreatment faced by teams traveling to different countries.
Motsepe noted, “I have heard too many stories about a football club or national team that goes to a country. You spend hours at the airport, and they ask you about documents that don’t exist. Apparently, during COVID, they would look at the best players and then say those ten players have got COVID.”
He reaffirmed CAF’s commitment to taking appropriate action in response to such incidents, stating, “This lack of sportsmanship has existed, and we haven’t taken effective action. We are reviewing those laws, and we want to emphasize sportsmanship.”
Nigeria was scheduled to play Libya in the return leg of their AFCON qualifying match on October 15, 2024, but the Super Eagles chose not to participate after being held at the airport for over 20 hours. The situation has raised serious concerns about the treatment of national teams and the need for improved protocols to ensure fair and respectful conditions for all athletes.