Togo striker Thomas Dossevi said yesterday the team was leaving Angola after its government recalled them from the Africa Cup of Nations, accusing hosts Angola of failing to protect the players following a deadly ambush on their bus.
The players themselves had earlier said they wanted to stay and compete in honor of the dead, who included their assistant coach, a team spokesman and the Angolan bus driver.
“We fully understand our government’s decision to leave because they didn’t receive enough guarantees for our security,” Dossevi said. “We as players, we wanted to stay to honor the memory of our dead people, but both positions are understandable.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
Togolese Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo said yesterday that the country’s presidential plane was in Angola to take the team back to Lome, Togo’s capital. He said that it would take some time to get them back, as they have to accommodate the wounded.
Dossevi said all team members would go to Lome together before rejoining their respective soccer clubs.
The Togo team was ambushed on Friday in an attack blamed on militants fighting for the independence of Cabinda, killing three and injuring eight.
Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor told local station Radio Ecclesia the team tried to stay, but “we are children of Togo and we will abide by the decision of our government.”
Houngbo reiterated the government’s decision to demand the team withdraw from the tournament.
“Angola and the Confederation of African Football [CAF] have not taken adequate security measures to ensure the safety of the Togolese national team,” Houngbo said. “We still stand by our decision to demand the return of our national team from Angola.”
With tournament officials declaring the tournament would start on schedule yesterday, and with Togo’s Group B matches to be played in restive Cabinda, the tour party was met there on Saturday by most of the top officials of the CAF, who implored Togo to stay.
CAF president Issa Hayatou said he had received a guarantee from Angolan Prime Minister Antonio Paulo Kassoma that security would be beefed up for all teams and at all venues.
The Angolan government built a new stadium in Cabinda for pool play in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Meanwhile, South African President Jacob Zuma yesterday denounced the “shocking and unacceptable” attack on Togo’s team in Angola, but said it would not affect South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup later this year.
Zuma arrived in Luanda yesterday for the opening ceremony.
Zuma “reiterated that South Africa remains 100 percent ready to host the FIFA World Cup and dismissed speculation that the Angolan incident had any bearing on the World Cup tournament in South Africa,” his office said in a statement.
“The shocking and unacceptable attack on the Togolese team should not be blown out of proportion, but should serve as impetus for the African continent and the world at large to work even harder to rid the world of terrorist activity and violence wherever it surfaces,” it said.
“He wished members of the team and entourage a speedy recovery. He also extended support to the Angolan government in its ongoing hard work of bringing about total peace and stability in the country,” it said.
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