Former Chairman of the Gombe State Football Association, Shuaibu Ahmed Gara-Gombe, has urged the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to revise its regulations concerning the treatment of teams during matches under its jurisdiction.
Gara-Gombe, known for his candid opinions on sports matters, highlighted the recent incident involving the Libyan authorities during the 2025 AFCON qualifying Group D fixture scheduled for October 15 in Benina, Libya.
The Super Eagles had a challenging experience with their flight being redirected to Al-Abraq, far from the initial destination, and facing a 20-hour delay at the airport without basic amenities.
In response, CAF fined Libya $50,000 and awarded three points and three goals to Nigeria.
In an interview, Gara-Gombe emphasized the need for CAF to consider the specific aviation and financial regulations of each country to prevent such incidents.
He suggested a comprehensive review of CAF’s rules regarding the reception of teams in home and away fixtures.
Gara-Gombe stated, “CAF should establish clear standards. We cannot just play matches without considering the conditions of each country, especially in terms of aviation and financial regulations.”
Meanwhile, Libya has expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, alleging bias in favor of Nigeria and threatening to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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