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Morocco Banned from 2 Tournaments, Fined for Not Hosting AFCON 2015

Tom SunderlandFeb 6, 2015

Morocco have been prohibited from competing in the next two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and have received a significant fine as a result of their withdrawal as hosts of the 2015 competition.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced Morocco's punishment on Friday, via the organisation's official Twitter account:

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A statement released on CAF's official website read:

"
The CAF Executive Committee, meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on the side lines of the 30th edition of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations took action on the refusal of Morocco to host this competition as scheduled and agreed i.e. from 17 January to 8 February 2015.
Morocco had based its request to postpone the tournament by a year on 10 October, 2014, on allegations 'of the highest health risk.' Morocco cited the outbreak of the Ebola virus as a case of force majeure in justifying its request for postponement, citing in particular the risk of contamination of its population because of anticipated fans' flows.
CAF raised objections and inadmissibility of Morocco's request who were obliged to state their position of withdrawal from the organization of the 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations by 11 November 2014. The Executive Committee considered that, contrary to what the Royal Moroccan Football Federation cited, force majeure cannot be accepted for the benefit of the federation.
"

While the $1 million fine is described as "regulatory," CAF goes on to explain that the €8.05 million fine will be paid "in compensation for all material damage sustained by CAF, stakeholders and partners."

As John Bennett of the BBC and Colin Udoh of ESPN each acknowledge, however, Morocco's governing bodies aren't likely to take the hefty suspension lightly and have the right to appeal:

Should the ban be upheld, it would mean 2021 is the next year Morocco would be permitted to feature in the AFCON, which Ivory Coast is scheduled to host.

AFCON 2017 is yet to confirm an official host.