Togo team banned from the next 2 ACON.

MagicMarker

:eek:

Just breaking on Sky News, ridiculous!! :rolleyes:

Eire-Dearg

Beat me to it. That is incredibly, incredibly harsh.

The African football body proving once more what a complete shambles of an association it is.

super_furry

****ing disgusting.

redout

Disgrace.

Sepp Blatter should be shot. I really do hate that man. He must have been consulted on this or had prior knowledge with the opportunity to intervene.

The sad news is that the guy announced last week he is going to run for another four year term in 2011 :mad:

Panthro

you would imagine they would ease up on that kind a sh!te ban, considering the extreme situation that the team got shot at.

JeanClaude

Beyond belief :eek: what kind of message is this sending...:mad: they'll surely see sense and over turn the ban..

_blank_

Silly.

In the words of my gf "Why? :eek:!"

Fizman

Horrible decision, and a reflection of how the game is run.

I reckon Blatter was probably one of the gunmen.

Karmafaerie

Fu€k sake!

SimpleLogic

This is absolute bull. Reason seems to be due to "governmental interference" in the decision to pull out. Only reason I was thinking they could be punished for was ignoring the advice to not travel by bus but I think they payed enough for that decision....
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iCHuxGm7eEmRkSRR_cNLqyVqpY8g

Mr Alan

****in disgrace.

yahoo_moe

Not exactly unexpected though - they were warned at the time of the pull-out that they'd face bans from future CAF competitions. (I'm not saying I agree btw.)

Also, blaming Blatter I think is off the mark - CAF have their own rules and their own way of running things (see, for instance, the different rules used to tie-break in the groups when teams finished on equal points).

DeVore

Wow... thats retarded.

DeV.

event

for what reason?

Eire-Dearg

For pulling out of this year's competition.

Togo have been banned from the next two editions of the African Nations Cup because of "governmental interference" in their decision to pull out of the 2010 tournament after the machine-gun attack on the team bus.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=733642&sec=global&cc=5739

Thanx 4 The Fish

Is a real joke. How any body of any sport can be so heartless is beyond me.

There are not enough bad words.

Mr Alan

is this definately just due to them pulling out this year? i can't believe they could be such *****.

Johner

Daysha

Christ on a bike, not been a good month for them has it?

Jigga

I reckon all the other countries will withdraw in protest at this, what a disgraceful decision.

cooker3

I didn't think I could despise footballing authorities anymore then I did but wow they have really topped themselves.

What a bunch of insensitive tossers. It just beggars belief.

IvySlayer

Jigga wrote: »

I reckon all the other countries will withdraw in protest at this, what a disgraceful decision.

Good plan.

Disgraceful decision. As if the players haven't suffered enough. Oh and just read they got a fine too.

Collie D

Surely they'll appeal this to FIFA....most ridiculous thing I've seen in football in a long time if not ever. Puts our littlespat with the authorities into perspective.

Columbia

These things have to go through a lot of people before the decision is made, I really can't believe that not ONE of them has gone "hang on...why are we even having this conversation!?". Hopefully it'll be overturned.

Aidric

What did they expect the public reaction to such a sickening decision would be? What a facepalm moment.

m@cc@

Burner- wrote: »

Reason seems to be due to "governmental interference" in the decision to pull out.

Staggering decision. Are these clowns really overseeing a World Cup?

radiospan

Very harsh move alright.

Although in general I agree with the ban on "governmental interference", I think it could have been overlooked here given the exceptional circumstances.

Some posters here are saying they were banned for pulling out of the tournament. I don't think this is the reason.

Pompey Magnus

In an ideal world the FAI would tell Brazil to f*ck off with their friendly in London and instead invite Togo to a match in Croke Park, I reckon it would be a sell out and also far more enjoyable than watching an uninterested Brazil squad go through the paces.

JimiTime

I am really beginning to loathe professional football, its rotting gradually. From the authorities to the players. Greed, coruption, cheating. Its far from the 'Beautiful' game within the professional circuits!

PHB

I think they are right.

Sorry

The team wanted to play on. They did. They wanted to play on because they thought it was the appropriate way to respond. If they hadn't wanted to play on, I'd understand, but they did.

The Togo government and FA were terrified of the security concerns. They weren't able to ensure it. They were at fault for the initial decision to travel by bus. They pushed a pull out to save their asses, not out of respect for the dead.

As such, they need to be punished. Yes the players are also going to be punished as well, but ultimately, this was an appropriate response.

Pro. F

Ugh ...what happens to people when they become part of a football governing body?

Insensitive, moronic action this. Disgusted.

jamsieboy86

I think its the right decison. Governments should not be allowed to interfer in Football Associations' affairs. I feel sorry for the players, the Togo FA and the fans but they only have their own government to blame.

dyl10

Anybody claiming that this is the correct decision, has to be playing devil's advocate.

Daysha

jamsieboy86 wrote: »

I think its the right decison. Governments should not be allowed to interfer in Football Associations' affairs. I feel sorry for the players, the Togo FA and the fans but they only have their own government to blame.

Governments interfering in footballing matters shouldn't happen, but they nearly died FFS! They had every right to withdraw their own team on health and safety ground, and it's about time the powers-that-be realise that.

Collie D

PHB wrote: »

The Togo government and FA were terrified of the security concerns. They weren't able to ensure it. They were at fault for the initial decision to travel by bus. They pushed a pull out to save their asses, not out of respect for the dead.

What about the initial decision to hold the tournament in a country that has just emerged from a brutal civil war, run by a corrupt government and hold games in a region that is still in turmoil? They have a machete on their flag, for God's sake. I don't see how the Togolese team, FA or government are in any way responsible here.

The_Kew_Tour

Im shocked at this decision.

Unfair and wrong timing too.

Johnny Utah

Let's see, France cheat their way to the World Cup and even the mention of a ban is laughed at by Fifa, yet Togo get shot at and correctly decline to particpate in the tournament, so they get a harsh ban.... wtf?

Charco wrote: »

In an ideal world the FAI would tell Brazil to f*ck off with their friendly in London and instead invite Togo to a match in Croke Park, I reckon it would be a sell out and also far more enjoyable than watching an uninterested Brazil squad go through the paces.

This is a great idea. C'mon Dougal, sorry I mean John, get on the blower!

Helix

jamsieboy86 wrote: »

Governments should not be allowed to interfer in Football Associations' affairs.

i agree, and i eagerly anticipate irelands ban from the next 2 world cups

leninbenjamin

PHB wrote: »

I think they are right.

Sorry

The team wanted to play on. They did. They wanted to play on because they thought it was the appropriate way to respond. If they hadn't wanted to play on, I'd understand, but they did.

The Togo government and FA were terrified of the security concerns. They weren't able to ensure it. They were at fault for the initial decision to travel by bus. They pushed a pull out to save their asses, not out of respect for the dead.

As such, they need to be punished. Yes the players are also going to be punished as well, but ultimately, this was an appropriate response.

But then that raises the question to what extent CAF had a responsibility to ensure the basic security. Many Journo's have alleged that CAF themselves failed to meet their own obligations (I believe they were fully informed of the Togo team's travel arrangements before hand?) and this has been reinforced by a silence on the issue from CAF. If that's the case then the Togo and FA would be entirely justified...

This will take a long time to play out. At the moment all parties are engaging in damage limitations with the media so it will be years before the full picture emerges.

baalthor

Collie D wrote: »

What about the initial decision to hold the tournament in a country that has just emerged from a brutal civil war, run by a corrupt government and hold games in a region that is still in turmoil? They have a machete on their flag, for God's sake. I don't see how the Togolese team, FA or government are in any way responsible here.

The machete is there to represent the peasants, the same way the sickle did on the Soviet Flag. The machete is actually primarily used as an agricultural tool and at independence (in 1975) Angola was a big exporter of agricultural produce.

Despite widespread poverty and dispossession among the population, Angola has one of the highest GDPs in Africa due to the presence of huge oil reserves. It's estimated to be China's largest oil supplier for example.
So that's where the money to host the ACN came from ...

everdead.ie

How long till someone sets up a facebook group?

Allowances should be made for exceptional circumstances

Collie D

baalthor wrote: »

The machete is there to represent the peasants, the same way the sickle did on the Soviet Flag. The machete is actually primarily used as an agricultural tool and at independence (in 1975) Angola was a big exporter of agricultural produce.

Despite widespread poverty and dispossession among the population, Angola has one of the highest GDPs in Africa due to the presence of huge oil reserves. It's estimated to be China's largest oil supplier for example.
So that's where the money to host the ACN came from ...

Fair enough regarding the flag even if Angola has no real agriculture seeing as it is covered in landmines and has the highest ratio of amuptees per capita. But a high GDP and an abundance of resources like diamonds or oil does not mean the country is in any way safe or uncorrupted

greendom

jamsieboy86 wrote: »

I think its the right decison. Governments should not be allowed to interfer in Football Associations' affairs. I feel sorry for the players, the Togo FA and the fans but they only have their own government to blame.

Since when has being shot at a Football Association affair ?

SantryRed

Shouldn't Ireland be banned so? Or is this just the African Association banning them with their own rules? THis is a genuine question by the way!

GLaDOS

SantryRed wrote: »

Shouldn't Ireland be banned so?

What rule could you use to ban Ireland? We tried to get in a competition, they pulled out of one.

Helix

ScienceNerd wrote: »

What rule could you use to ban Ireland?

governent interference in footballing affairs, the same rule togo were banned with

GLaDOS

Helix wrote: »

governent interference in footballing affairs, the same rule togo were banned with

Our government didn't actually do anything expect make some noise

Collie D

I wonder would any of the other African associations have the balls to boycott qualifying for the next tournament. I'm sure there are plenty of managers in Europe who would back their campaign :rolleyes:

JerryHandbag

Outrageous decision!

monkey9

Laughable decision!! It's actually a bit disgusting!!

To be honest, i don't give a sh!t about the tournament. It's completely corrupt. A lot of keepers have to answer for their 'performances' in that tournament. Let's just say, there were some strange results.

Yet, the Togo team are punished because they refused to play after they escaped being murdered!!

As i say, laughable!!

GuanYin

PHB wrote: »

As such, they need to be punished. Yes the players are also going to be punished as well, but ultimately, this was an appropriate response.

Cos ya know, two wrongs make a right.....