On Saturday, a statement issued by Ousmane Kane, chairperson of CAF’s Disciplinary Board, confirmed that after a detailed review by a five-member disciplinary committee, Libya was found guilty of improper conduct and violation of several CAF regulations.
This decision came in response to investigations conducted by CAF, led by President Patrice Motsepe, into allegations of mistreatment faced by the Nigerian team during their scheduled qualifier against Libya.
Specifically, the Libyan Football Federation was penalised for subjecting the Nigerian senior men’s football team, the Super Eagles, to “inhumane treatment” during their stay in Libya, which included hours of delay at the airport and restricted access to food and communication.
The Disciplinary Board’s ruling declared the match, scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benghazi, as forfeited by Libya. The official decision cited breaches of Article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, resulting in a 3-0 victory by default for Nigeria. Alongside the forfeiture, CAF ordered the Libya Football Federation to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days.
The disciplinary committee responsible for this ruling consisted of chairperson Ousmane Kane (Senegal), vice-chairperson Njeri Onyango (Kenya), and members Felix Golbassia (Chad), Patrick Shale (Lesotho), and Norman Arendse (South Africa).
The mistreatment of the Super Eagles stirred international outcry, with diplomatic and social media interventions ultimately leading to the team’s safe departure from Libya.
This latest ruling places Nigeria in a favourable position in their qualification campaign for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, now sitting with 10 points from four matches, four points ahead of the second-placed Benin Republic, with Rwanda at five points, and Libya, at the bottom of the group with a single point, now eliminated from qualification contention.
The Super Eagles now have a significant opportunity to secure their spot in the AFCON finals, with only a draw needed against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic on November 14 in Abidjan to book a place in the finals in Morocco, scheduled for December 2025 to January 2026.
Mr Motsepe emphasised the organisation’s commitment to ensuring fairness and sportsmanship across African football.
