President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, has claimed they would have “signed their death warrant”, if they agreed for Morocco to postpone next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
On Tuesday, the football body confirmed the North African country will not host the tournament and also banned their national team from participating.
“Once you postpone this event, it will open the door for everybody to ask for a delay of any competition and we will no longer be credible,” Hayatou said.
“We will hurt our sponsors and partners. Everyone will say we are not ready and finally it is Caf that will pay the price. That is what I told the Moroccans.
“We cannot sign our death warrant because if we postpone this event it will be very deadly for African football. For 57 years, we have patiently built this house, which today is the pride of all Africans.
“They have this festival every two years and we are not about to leave the opportunity to anyone to destroy the work we have patiently developed over the years.
“I cannot tell you where it will be played. All I can tell you is that it will take place.”
A new host is expected to be named within days and Angola, Egypt, Gabon and Nigeria are the countries being suggested as possible replacements.
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