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Egypt goalkeeper Essam Al Hadari - Source: Reuters -
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In a year when Africa has the chance to display itself to the world, the end of their continental tournament has relegated it to ridicule.
The lasting memories of the African Nations Cup won't be of Egypt pulling off an unprecedented third successive win, but more the controversy surrounding the African Federation's ridiculous decision to punish the Togo team for pulling out after having their team bus riddled with bullets, killing two and injuring more as Cabindan separatists used the competition to publicise their struggle against hosts Angola.
The Togolese squad were understandably distraught, their reserve keeper airlifted to South Africa for emergency spinal surgery and the team grieving their loss. They left before a ball was kicked at the request of their government and with the sympathy of all.
Except the Confederation of African Football(CAF) and president Issa Hayatou it seems.
Instead of allowing the football to take centre stage again, on the eve of the Egypt-Ghana final, the CAF made a controversial ruling against Togo, citing political intervention from Togo's government, thus banning them from the next two championships. And this, after Hayatou had intimated Togo had his blessing to pull out.
It guaranteed that the final would be a mere adjunct in the headlines as the whole unfortunate affair dominated again. This harsh and poorly timed ruling smacks of political manoeuvring by CAF, trying to exercise their fragile influence over a huge continent, but sadly misreading the situation.
The football fraternity has expressed its disappointment at such a ban, but alas so far the world body FIFA have refused to be drawn on the issue. Huge protests have been organised in Togo to ask for the decision to be rescinded.
The attack also highlighted the fact that the European-based players on African duty, including Ivory Coast's Drogba, Ghana's Essien and Togo's Adebayor were all uninsured. Prior to the tournament insurance companies set such massive premiums that the Federations and clubs couldn't afford to insure these stars.
Hayatou and the CAF are lucky that in the aftermath of the attack the European based players were not recalled at once, as this would have devalued an already overshadowed competition.
To the football itself, there were few highlights, perhaps the heat and humidity getting to the players. The game of the tournament was the opening Angola Malawi 4-4 draw, with the hosts 4-0 to the good before being pegged back in 11 dramatic minutes at the end. Early shocks aside, the favourites progressed and the semi finals threw together two huge rivalries.
Ghana edged past Nigeria and Egypt benefited from some woeful refereeing to hammer their World Cup nemesis Algeria. In fact, so poor was Bonaventure Codjia's performance, that the top-ranked African official was banned by CAF for failing to send off Algeria's keeper for a headbutt.
Whether he will go to the World Cup now will have to be seen, though he remains FIFA listed.
It seems African decision-making on and off the field is flawed, and just because it is a developing football region, I sincerely hope that FIFA doesn't allow the World Cup to suffer as it did in 2002.
Or ban someone for leaving early if the unthinkable happens.
