CAF set to postpone CHAN 2020 over coronavirus outbreak

The 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) which was initially scheduled to take place in Cameroon this April will be postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to media report.

According to widespread media report, there is a serious consideration of the above-mentioned option with June 2020 likely to be chosen as the next date for the event.

The continent’s football governing body, CAF, are expected to announce the decision this week as they are following FIFA’s recent recommendation to its members.

FIFA recently requested that member bodies temporarily halt all football events till April while hoping World Health Organization (WHO) and other institutions to find a better way of dealing with the new global pandemic.

There is a CAF team of medical doctors in Cameroon led by Dr. Aboubakari Sidiki with the objective of studying the situation in the Central African nation for proper recommendations for the Confederation.

Cameroon external relations minister joins a host of Cameroonian officials giving their all to see that the competition goes as CAF plans. Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella recently issued a release stating foreigners traveling to Cameroon must present a negative results of the CoronaVirus for a Visa to be granted to him.

Four cases of infected persons have been reported so far in Cameroon.

CAF has postponed all AFCON and other qualifiers matches this week but clearly stated the case of the CHAN will be down to the reports of the medical team that was in Cameroon.

We understand the Confederation will switch of the competition from April to June this year in Cameroon with hopes that the situation gets better.

In the last 24 hours, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Rwanda and Egypt have joined other African countries in making changes or halted their football activities because of the health threats presented by the virus.

So far 45 countries have been hit by the virus.

Media reports have created doubts about the participation of Morocco and Rwanda in the CHAN competition has not made CAF’s work easier.

Last week, the Confederation took a U-turn on their decision to schedule AFCON qualifiers games. There are glaring indicators that the CHAN 2020 competition take place in Cameroon but not next month.

Ghana will not take part in the competition after missing out on qualification following a 0-0 with Burkina Faso in the final round qualifier last year.