Cameroon government dispels report on cancelation of AFCON 2021

Reports about AFCON 2021 cancellation circulating

CAF declines intention to cancel AFCON 2021

European clubs not ready to release players for African cup

The Cameroonian government has dismissed reports about the cancellation of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON].

It emerged on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 that Africa football’s governing

Read full articlewas giving strong considerations to the postponement of the tournament.

Several media reports claimed that the coronavirus new variant omicron is what has informed the cancellation of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The reports furthered CAF’s decision to cancel the AFCON was due to the political situation in Cameroon, the host country.

But in a response, Bothy Minsub, an official of Cameroon's Sports Ministry quashed the reports and declared Cameroon’s readiness to host the tournament as planned in January 2022.

“The Minister of Sport met with Samuel Eto'o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation, and affirmed the country’s readiness to host the tournament and refute all those reports that we can’t host it,” Bothy Minsub told Filgoal.

The European Clubs Association [ECA] have written to FIFA about their decision not to release African players for the 2021 AFCON on the grounds the the players may contract the virus.

However, the Cameroonian Sports Ministry official described the news as shocking, noting that United Kingdom has recorded more infections than the African continent, yet they host football matches frequently.

"We will tell the Caf that we refuse the hypothesis of postponement if they ask us, we have a great will to host the tournament on time. It is a plot against us and [the ECA letter] contains wrong information, they say Covid is widespread in Cameroon,” he stated.

He added, “What about the UK that recorded till now 10 million and more infections, and have more than 147,000 deaths, while we only recorded less than 110,000 infections and less than 1,500 deaths. We play the league here normally, we are ready to host the tournament on time and the Caf committee have seen this in their last visit and were overwhelmed.”

The AFCON tournament is expected to kick off from January 9 to February 6 2022.