Rabat-The Minister of Health said Wednesday that the African Football Federation (CAF) will respond positively to Morocco’s request to postpone the 2015 edition of African Cup of Nations initially scheduled to be held in Morocco from January 17 to February 8.
"I think the African Football Confederation has no deliberate intent to harm African nations and venture into maintaining the CAN 2015 as originally planned," said El Ouardi during a press conference.
"We cannot risk exposing the health of people to this dangerous virus. To deal with such cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests to avoid organizing gatherings of people. Morocco's arguments are justified," he noted, adding that he had received, a few days ago, a CAF delegation in his ministry.
Last Friday the Moroccan Football Federation said in communique that it has asked the CAF to postpone the upcoming CAN 2015 because of the spread of Ebola in several Sub-Saharan African countries.
In a communique released on Saturday, the CAF said that the CAN 2015 would be held as scheduled, adding that since the first edition in 1957, “the Africa Cup of Nations has never witnessed a deferral or a change in schedule.”
The communique added that CAF woulld examine the Moroccan request at the upcoming meeting of its Executive Committee due to be held on November 2 in Algiers, on sidelines of the second leg of the 2014 CAF Champions League final.