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Rabat – Algerian sports commentator Hafid Derradji took to Facebook on Monday to seemingly accuse the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of corruption in the awarding of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosting rights.
“Before introducing the bids, and before presenting and studying them, as well as voting on them on the 10th of next February, it looks like ‘the circle’ has decided to grant Morocco the 2025 AFCON hosting rights, Nigeria and Benin the 2027 tournament, and Algeria in 2029,” Derradji wrote on Facebook.
“Voting was supposed to take place on the sidelines of the African Nations Championship set to be held in Algeria, but it has been delayed until February,” he continued.
He then implied that the CAF was involved in corruption in its hosting decisions, writing: “Savvy people know how things are managed, and what we must do especially as football becomes more than a game like many think, and choices on this level have nothing to do with the bid.”
CAF has not yet taken a decision on who will host the 2025 tournament. Inspection visits to the candidate countries are scheduled in January, with a decision due to be taken at the beginning of February.
While Derradji implied corruption on CAF’s side, some have argued that Algeria might not be able to host a sporting event the size of the AFCON.
Specifically, critics have pointed to the recent Mediterranean Games that were held in Oran, after which the Secretary General of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (ICMG) Lakovos Filippousis criticized the organization.
In a letter addressed to President of the Organizing Committee of the Mediterranean Games of Oran Aziz Derouaz, Filippousis said the organization had “significant and fundamental organizational shortcomings.”
Inadequate transportation services, lack of volunteers, and lack of medical assistance and drinking water were all called out in Filippousis’ letter, as well as Algeria’s barring entry to press teams accredited by the ICMG.
