7 May 2010

Togo will be allowed to play in future editions of the African Nations Cup following an agreement between the African federation (CAF) and the Togo FA, mediated by the Court for Arbitration in Sport. CAF said Togo warranted a ban because they pulled out of this year’s event after members of their party were murdered by separatist terrorists. CAS released this statement on its website.

Lausanne, 7 May 2010 – In the procedure initiated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Togo Football Federation (TFF) and the African Football Confederation (CAF) have reached the following settlement:

The CAF President has accepted to ask the CAF Executive Committee at its meeting of 15 May 2010 to lift the sanctions excluding the TFF from the next two editions of the African Cup of Nations, as the TFF agreed that it did not comply with the CAF competition regulations in relation to the withdrawal of their team from the 2010 African Cup of Nations.

A mediation hearing was led by the FIFA President, Mr Joseph S. Blatter today in Zurich, Switzerland.  Both parties had agreed to interrupt the arbitration procedure which was pending at the CAS in order to commence a mediation procedure under the direction of the FIFA President, who is also a CAS mediator.  In February 2010, the TFF filed an appeal at the CAS requesting the annulment of the decision taken by the CAF Executive Committee to exclude the TFF from the next two editions of the African Cup of Nations.

Statements given at the end of the meeting:

Mr Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA: “I am very pleased that we have been able to find a solution which is satisfactory for both parties. The success today is for the entire football community, in particular for African football. This shows that we can solve internal disputes within the football family for the benefit of all those who are involved in our game, and in particular for the players”.

Mr Matthieu Reeb, CAS Secretary General: “Considering the emotional circumstances surrounding this case, it was very important for the parties to find a reasonable solution to put an end to their dispute. This is good news for the players of the Togolese team as well as for the CAS which has been able to bring this mediation to a successful conclusion”.