The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has made an appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to show them leniency ahead of the release into public domain the body’s decision regarding the recent incident involving Nigeria’s Super Eagles at Al-Abraq airport.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria were subjected to inhumane treatment in Libya when they traveled to the country for an AFCON qualifier which sparked global outrage about the underhand dealings of the Libyans against the Nigerians.
This incident, which has been condemned by CAF and investigated by the disciplinary committee will be discussed at the upcoming general assembly where a final ruling is expected to be given.
The General Secretary and Interim President of the Libyan FF, Nasser Al-Suwaie urged CAF to show mercy in their judgment.
He explained that the unfortunate situation was beyond the federation’s control, citing decisions made at the state level regarding landing procedures and airport logistics as the primary reasons for the incident.
Al-Suwaie made a subtle plea for understanding in his comments to the media, acknowledging the challenges that led to the Nigerian team being treated poorly, emphasizing that the federation was not responsible for the situation and asked for compassion in light of the difficulties.
CAF’s disciplinary committee is expected to rule on possible imposition of sanctions on Libya. While a ban has not been ruled out, there is still uncertainty about the extent of the penalties.