The Specific Rule Libya Disobeyed As CAF Hands Tough Punishment

• The Confederation of African Football has announced its final judgment on the unsavoury airport incident involving the Nigerian team in Libya
• It should be recalled that members of the Nigerian team contingent were left unattended upon their arrival at Al Abraq Airport for a period spanning about 20 hours
• We shine the spotlight on the specific rule that Libya breached, which attracted the stiff punishment CAF has meted out to them

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently issued its final judgment on the airport incident involving Nigeria's Super Eagles in Libya.

Upon arrival at Al Abraq Airport for their scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, members of the Nigerian team were left stranded for nearly 20 hours, sparking widespread outrage.

The ordeal drew strong condemnation from CAF, which, in an official press release, expressed its disapproval and confirmed it was investigating the matter.

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CAF has since shared its verdict on the incident in a follow-up press statement. Its disciplinary committee ruled in Nigeria’s favour, awarding three points and three goals to the Super Eagles and imposing a $50,000 fine on Libya.

Following CAF’s ruling, we take a closer look at the specific regulations Libya violated, which led to this decisive judgment.

Rules Libya breached that stirred punishment

According to Article 16 of CAF's regulations governing AFCON qualification:

"The host team shall provide the visiting team with access to a training field for the entire duration of their stay, at the team's convenience."

Libya were found to be in clear violation of this requirement.

Further breaches are highlighted under Article 29 of the CAF rule book:

"The host association that fails to provide the visiting team and designated match officials with all the facilities stipulated in these regulations shall reimburse all related expenses, without prejudice to the sanctions that may be imposed by the Organising Committee."

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In addition, Article 31 establishes the minimum reception standards required for hosting teams, which Libya also failed to meet.

While specific sanctions against Libya are not directly outlined in the CAF rule book, Article 117 gives the Organising Committee authority over any issues not explicitly covered by existing regulations. In this instance, the committee opted to fine Libya $50,000 and award three points to the Nigerian team.

CAF also confirmed that no appeal would be permitted for this ruling, effectively requiring Libya to accept the verdict.

Troost-Ekong reacts to CAF punishment

In another report by YEN.com.gh, William Troost-Ekong reacted to the punishment CAF imposed on Libya.

The 31-year-old defender, who was a prominent voice during the team’s unsavoury ordeal, expressed his satisfaction with the verdict on social media.

Troost-Ekong shared his thoughts on X, calling the decision a welcome form of "justice."

Source: Legit.ng