Togo team wants to play in Angola despite attack - L'Equipe

CABINDA, Angola: Togo's soccer team has decided to play in the African Nations Cup following a deadly attack on the squad, even though its government has withdrawn the side, French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported yesterday.

L'Equipe quoted midfielder Alaixys Romao as saying the team had agreed unanimously to stay in the Angolan enclave of Cabinda for their first match against Ghana today.

Rebels of the Cabindan separatist group FLEC sprayed the Togolese team bus with gunfire on Friday, killing the driver and wounding nine others. Two members of Togo's soccer delegation died on Saturday and one was undergoing surgery in South Africa.

A Togolese minister said on Saturday the government had decided to pull the team out of the tournament, which starts on Sunday, because of "this dramatic situation".

But L'Equipe quoted Romao as saying: "We have just had a meeting of the whole delegation and we will be on the pitch on Monday to face Ghana."

Officials of the team and the Confederation of African Football, which organizes the tournament, were not available for comment.

"The decision was taken unanimously," said Romao, who plays for French club side Grenoble.

However, English club Manchester City said on their website that striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo's captain, was returning home.

"People have died for the African Nations Cup, others have been injured. We can't let them down and leave like cowards," said Romao.

"If we stay here it's for them but also not to give any satisfaction to the rebels. Our government does not necessarily agree with us but we are all determined to play this competition."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Saturday he had confidence in Africa and the continent's ability to organize this year's World Cup despite Friday's attack on the Togo team bus .

"I have confidence in Africa and it's on the strength of this confidence that we will together organize the flagship competition of world football in 2010," Blatter said in a letter to African Football Confederation (CAF) president Issa Hayatou.

"This terrible incident will not make us forget that African football has written some beautiful pages in the history of world football. It is also the cradle of the pure jewels of football."

Reuters

(China Daily 01/11/2010 page24)