Togo's national football squad is considering whether to withdraw from the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola after their bus came under fire.The driver of the bus was killed and nine other people were wounded, including two players, in the attack, claimed by separatist fighters in Cabinda province.Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo team captain, said that the squad would hold a meeting to discuss whether or not to stay for the tournament, seven matches of which are scheduled to be held in the region."I think a lot of players want to leave," he told BBC radio in Britain.
"They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything." "I don't think they will be ready to give their life."Adebayor said that the team would only stay if their security coOrganisers have said that the tournament, which is due to kick off on Sunday, will go ahead, but African football officials will meet the Angolan government beforehand to seek assurances that players would be protected.Issa Hayatou, the president of the Confederation of African Football, will meet Paulo Kassoma, the prime minister, in Luanda, the capital on Saturday.
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Organisers have said that the tournament, which is due to kick off on Sunday, will go ahead, but African football officials will meet the Angolan government beforehand to seek assurances that players would be protected.Issa Hayatou, the president of the Confederation of African Football, will meet Paulo Kassoma, the prime minister, in Luanda, the capital on Saturday.
They will meet to take decisions to guarantee the smooth running of the competition," a CAF statement said."The Confederation of African Football is terribly saddened by this event and express its total support as well as sympathy to the entire Togolese delegation."Al Jazeera's Andy Richardson, reporting from Luanda, said that he expected that players from most nations would be considering their participation despite the organisers' assurances."I think a lot of players involved here, a lot of clubs that they play for, and obviously their families back home are not as convinced as officials," he said."There are some multimillion-dollar players up there in Cabinda and a lot of them have clubs back in Europe who are obviously very concerned about them being exposed into an area where it seems security cannot be guaranteed."Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Ghana were also to be based in Cabinda, which is separated from the rest of Angola by a slice of Democratic Republic of Congo, for the tournament. uld be guaranteed.
They will meet to take decisions to guarantee the smooth running of the competition," a CAF statement said."The Confederation of African Football is terribly saddened by this event and express its total support as well as sympathy to the entire Togolese delegation."Al Jazeera's Andy Richardson, reporting from Luanda, said that he expected that players from most nations would be considering their participation despite the organisers' assurances."I think a lot of players involved here, a lot of clubs that they play for, and obviously their families back home are not as convinced as officials," he said."There are some multimillion-dollar players up there in Cabinda and a lot of them have clubs back in Europe who are obviously very concerned about them being exposed into an area where it seems security cannot be guaranteed."Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Ghana were also to be based in Cabinda, which is separated from the rest of Angola by a slice of Democratic Republic of Congo, for the tournament. uld be guaranteed.
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