• Begins training programme for new Club Licensing Platform
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected Sierra Leone’s request to host their Cote d’Ivoire 2024 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria in Bo City, its second-largest town.
Sierra Leone had written to CAF, praying to host the African Cup of Nations matchday five qualifier at the newly built 6,000-seater Southern Arena in Bo City.
CAF hinged its decision to turn down the request on the poor hotel facilities in the city. This means that Sierra Leone will have to look on the road to host Nigeria in June this year.
Nigeria are topping Group A of the qualifying series on nine points after three wins from four games, while Guinea Bissau, who caused a major upset when they beat Nigeria in Abuja in the penultimate game, are second on seven points after two wins and a draw.
Sierra Leone are on five points with one win and two draws, with Sao Tome and Principe on one point with only one draw.
Meanwhile, CAF, yesterday in Tunis, Tunisia, started its training programme on Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP), which it launched last year.
The CAF Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP) is an electronic tool system designed to manage the licensing process and stadium inspections for continental and domestic competitions.
According to CAF, member countries, as licensors, will use the CAF Club Licensing Online Platform to operate their licensing system every season, just as clubs are expected to submit the required information through the system.
In a statement, yesterday, CAF, through president of Tunisian Football Federation (TFF), Wadie El Jari, who is also a member of its executive committee, said: “In July 2022, when CAF introduced this important platform aimed at developing football, it put in place a new strategic vision, adopting a new regulatory framework for the club licensing system that puts more emphasis on the professionalisation of club structures in Africa.
“We are convinced that this training will be an enriching experience that will allow us to develop our professional skills, to grow in our work and especially to raise the level of clubs and competitions in our dear continent.”
CAF said the CLOP training workshops will be hosted in four different countries, covering three linguistic groups this month, with three main objectives, which include training of the MA users for the use of the CLOP, update on the implementation of the CAF Club Licensing Regulations (edition 2022) and ensuring that the club licensing process is on track at the MAs level, ahead of the upcoming 2023/24 CAF Interclub season.
The current exercise in Tunis began the programme, which will also hold in Cotonou, Benin Republic from May 8 to 10, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (May 22 to 24) and Lubango, Angola, from May 29 t0 31.
The body said the programme would provide opportunity to engage and provide CLOP training for local clubs in each of the four host member associations.
