CAF meets over U-20 tournament future

(From Kofi Addae, GNA Special Correspondent, Khartoum, Sudan)

Khartoum, Sudan, Feb. 27, GNA - The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to meet next week to decide the future of the African Youth Championship in the wake of the political unrest in Libya.

The competition scheduled for March 18 to April 1 this year in Libya hangs in a balance with the growing demonstrations against the government. CAF President Issa Hayatou told journalists at a press briefing in Khartoum on Friday that his outfit was concerned about the current state of Libya and wanted to decide the future of the competition within the shortest possible time.

He assured that the tournament would definitely take place since it was the only medium to determine the continent's representatives for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia later in the year.

"We are concerned about the current state of Libya. The tournament must come on to determine Africa's representatives for the World cup. "We will meet within one week to take a decision while hoping that peace returns to Libya," Mr Hayatou said.

Mr Hayatou was emphatic that the competition would be held in a conducive atmosphere, indicating that it might be held outside Libya. Most of the participating teams are currently wrapping up their preparations for the tournament.

Ghana's Black Satellites are the reigning champions at both the continental and global level.