Serie A clubs have joined a statement warning they will only release players for the Africa Cup of Nations from January 3 rather than the December 27 date set by FIFA.
The World League Forum is an umbrella organisation covering the major league clubs from around the globe.
They released a statement today warning that the FIFA regulation date of December 27, 13 days before the competition begins rather than the seven days that has been organised for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is “unreasonable and disproportionate.”
The clubs are therefore refusing to let their players leave for international duty until January 3.
Serie A is on a Christmas break until January 6, but the delay is another step in the battle between clubs and the African Federations.
Inevitably, the statement from the World League Forum also points out that there are growing concerns about the tournament on the whole, as it takes place during a spoke of COVID cases in a country Cameroon where only five per cent of the population is vaccinated.
“The AFCON taking place in the middle of the current pandemic with players’ health at stake and concerns on the spread of the pandemic, dialog is essential.
“Clarity would be needed on the protocols to be in place for the tournament as we are still unaware of what measures will be implemented.”
World League Forum tells FIFA, CAF that clubs will not release players for Africa Cup or Nations until Jan 3, later than requested by national teams but, according to the leagues, in line with agreement with FIFA. Any sanctions from FIFA will be deemed “abusive”. And on it goes pic.twitter.com/9v4e7BVT0W
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) December 23, 2021
Covid numbers rising so I can see the concern.