TOGO'S SANCTION TOO HARSH!

By this piece, I would like to react to the “outrageous” sanction imposed on the Togolese senior national team, the Hawks by the African football governing body, CAF.
The sanction, as spelt out by CAF indicated that, the Hawks could not participate in the next two nations cup tournament to be organized by CAF.In addition a $50,000 fined was slapped on them.
Personally I think the punishment is very outrageous, too harsh and insensitive on the part of CAF. CAF have not been fair to them at all. Simply because the Hawks pull out was not intentional. If they had wanted to withdraw from the tournament, they wouldn’t have spent the huge amount and other human resources to prepare for the tournament. They played a number of trial matches before they made the final entry into Cabinda where the unfortunate attack occurred.
Considering the fear that gripped the team and their people back home there was nothing the government could do than to recall them home. Because future is unforeseen and nobody could tell what would happen next.
I believe every well-meaning football loving person would bear with me that the sanction has exposed nothing, but the biases and inefficiencies on the part of CAF.To me CAF have teeth but they cannot bite. Discrimination, favouratism and nepotism have been the operating mechanism for CAF. Imposition of a harsh ban as such on Togo is baseless and a showcase of injustice to the Hawks.
One question that keeps rolling in my mind since I heard of the sanction is; if Angola that masterminded Togo’s pull out has been punished as such? I ask because if the Angolan government sought to ensure total security for the teams particularly in Cabinda, the unfortunate attack should have been avoided. Secondly sanctioning Angola would deter other African countries that intimidate and harass visiting clubs and national teams that participate in CAF organize tournaments such as Champions League,Confideration cup and several others.
Some African countries and their clubs just adopt a must win tactics when they host teams. Several protests are filed at CAF after these maltreatments, but some of their verdicts looked unpleasant to many of the affected teams. It would be therefore appropriate if CAF would be honest to Africa and announce some sanctions for Angola for not ensuring maximum security for the teams that participated in the just ended cup of nations tournament.
I believe Angola’s indiscipline should not be a severe punishment for the Hawks of Togo. This indiscipline and inhuman treatment nearly caused Ghana’s wrath and threatened to pull out when its security men brutalized some of our supporters and media men who were in Angola with our national team the Black Stars.
I therefore appeal to CAF to announce some sanctions for Angola and also minimize the magnitude of Togo’s sanction.
Finally, I appeal to the various football associations of Africa to rally behind Togo for the sanction to reduced by CAF because what happened to them could happen to any of us.

Adinkrahene Baffuor Owiredu-Amoh
e-mail:baffuoramoh@yahoo.com
Blog:www.baffuoramoh.blogspot.com