The Confederation of African Football has disclosed their displeasure over the comments made by Italian sides Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis on African players and the Africa Cup of Nations.
This follows unsavoury remarks made by the Napoli owner and President Aurelio de Laurentiis, on last week saying Africa players should give up playing in AFCONS else he won’t buy them.
“Enough of African players, or they should give up playing in the African Cup of Nations. I won’t be buying them any more for this reason,” De Laurentiis told a Wall Street Italia show.
Caf in a press statement on Sunday, rebutted Mr Aurelio De Laurentiis’ comment urging UEFA to initiate disciplinary investigation against him.
”By publicly declaring that players who sign for Napoli must sign a waiver denouncing participation in the Africa Cup of Nations as a condition of employment, De Laurentiis’ comments likely to fall under Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. CAF therefore urges UEFA to initiate disciplinary investigation against him”.
CAF added that its Organization ”is committed to the role that football plays in Africa, Europe, North and South America, Asia and globally of bringing together and uniting people of different cultures, language groups, races, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds”.
”We have no doubt that Napoli and UEFA are as committed as CAF is to these global humanitarian objectives”.
”Are we to assume that the Chairman of Napoli is going to include similar restrictive conditions to players from South America, Asia and other Confederations prohibiting them from playing in their Continental competitions which are important for the development and growth of football globally?” CAF added.
The current rules of world governing body Fifa stipulate that players must be released for the Nations Cup despite its mid-season timing in Europe.
The next edition of the Nations Cup will be held in January and February 2024 in Ivory Coast, having been moved from its initial dates of June-July 2023 because of weather concerns.
