Togo will be allowed to compete at the African Nations Cup after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) lifted their two-tournament ban.
CAF has withdrawn the punishment, which was imposed on the country after they withdrew from the 2010 tournament following an attack by gunmen on their team bus. Two members of their delegation and the team bus driver died in the ambush in the province of Cabinda.
The decision came after a meeting by CAF’s Executive Committee in Cairo on Friday, where president Issa Hayatou was to have made the request following a hearing with FIFA head Sepp Blatter last week.
“The Executive Committee of the African Confederation of Football, in its meeting held in Cairo on Friday May 14, at the request of President Issa Hayatou decided to lift the suspension preventing Togo from playing in the two upcoming African Nations Cups,” read a statement on www.cafonline.com.
“Following the lifting of the sanction, Togo is now reintegrated in the preliminaries of the African Nations Cup 2012.”
The statement added: “The Togolese delegation officially recognised its forfeit from the 27th edition of the African Cup of Nations as not having been legitimate and having been an infraction to the CAF regulations.
“The Togolese federation understands the fact that CAF applied the sanction it did for the non respect by the Togolese federation for the regular procedure necessary to withdraw from the competition.
“Having taken the floor before the members of the Executive Committee, President Hayatou reminded the Committee of the fact that CAF is always there to guarantee that respect for the laws and the regulations established by its institution at all times and in all circumstances, including the most painful ones.
“It was CAF’s duty to impose such respect.”
