The Times (London): Blocking Togo's Return to African Cup is Pathetic

[Captain Hilts]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/owen_slot/article6984815.ece

There is clearly a load of really poor politics being executed in Africa right now. A triangular void of common sense between the leaders of Togo, Angola and the Confederation of African Football appears to have established little but ill will. The sympathies of the world have been and remain with the Togo football team, which makes it sad, peculiar and pathetic that a way cannot be found for the Togo team to return to competition.

The Togo football team says that, after three days’ mourning its dead, it wants to return to play in the African Nations Cup. The tournament organisers say it cannot.

Sports readers of The Times may be aware of the series of stories about Africa that ran in the first few days of the year. It was a pretty damned positive piece of journalism, its theme being the uplifting effects and possibilities of sport on the continent. Sport has done a tonne of good for Africa – that was the nub of it – and this year can be the greatest year of all. All those fine words unfortunately have been made to look a little naïve following the rattle of the murderous machine guns in the hands of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec).

One of the more astonishing turn of events in this miserable saga was yesterday’s statement, apparently from the Flec “secretary general” (do half-cock terrorist units really have secretary generals?) who managed to convey the impression that this was all something of a mistake.

[MrCoffee]

1. Pathetic is exactly the word for it

And if there's any truth to reports that ANC organizers were warned months ago about potential attacks if matches were held in Cabinda, then they should be held responsible for those three deaths.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Togo's team was a target specifically because of the good sport has done for Africa. nt