The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a strong warning to teams affected with COVID-19 at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
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This was disclosed on the CAF website on Saturday, January 8.
The statement was released ahead of the 2022 APCON which kicked off on Sunday, January 9.
It said that any team that is unable to arrange at least 11 COVID-19 negative player may forfeit a 2-0 victory to its opponent.
Any player who tests positive to COVID-19 would immediately leave the camp.
The statement also said that keepers can be replaced by players in the event that they test positive to COVID-19.
See the full statement below:
“Number of substitute players per match:
CAF will apply the five substitutions per match rule during this competition, as follows:
Each team will be permitted to use a maximum of five substitutes.
To reduce disruption to the match, each team will have a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the game; substitutions may also be made at half-time.
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If both teams make a substitution at the same time, this will count as one of the three opportunities for each team.
Unused substitutions and opportunities are carried forward into extra time.
Where extra time is played, teams will each be allowed one additional substitution, and will have one additional substitution opportunity; substitutions may also be made before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
Minimum number of players in case of a team affected by COVID-19
If the result of the Covid-19 PCR test of any player is positive, such player will not be authorized to go to the stadium or participate in the applicable match.
A team will be required to play a match if they have a minimum of eleven (11) players available who have tested negative. In the event of the absence of a goalkeeper, another player from the team must replace the goalkeeper, provided the total number of available players is at least eleven.
A team that does not have a minimum of eleven (11) players available will be considered to have lost the match 0-2.
In exceptional cases, the Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations will take the appropriate decision.”
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This online news medium understands that the 2022 AFCON kicked off on Saturday.
24 countries on the continent would battle for the best in at least four stadia in Cameroon.
On Sunday, the host nation Cameroon defeated Burkina Faso 2-1. Ethiopia lost to Cape Verde 0-1. Senegal defeated Zimbabwe 1-0.
See the full fixtures here
