CAF sanction Kenya over Covid-19 breach

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Jan 25, 2021. 12:00

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have been hit by sanctions from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over Covid-19 protocol breaches during last November’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

FKF official Barry Otieno and Harambee Stars team manager Ronny Oyando have been banned for six months, while the Federation has been fined US$20,000.

According to CAF, Kenya fielded four players – including captain Victor Wanyama – who had tested positive for Covid-19 in a qualification match against Comoros in November 2020.

Prior to Kenya’s 2-1 loss in Moroni, the general secretary of the Comoros Football Federation attempted to initiate the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test process, but these were initially refused by the Kenyan team, before being conducted hours later than originally scheduled.

“The test results arrived just a few minutes before kick-off, during warm-up, due to the said delay,” stated CAF, as quoted by Inside the Games.

Otieno and Oyando reportedly disputed the results of the tests and tore them apart before the match commissioner could check the results himself.

“According to the PCR tests copies that were acquired after the match, four players have all tested positive before the match yet took part in the game and risked the contamination of the opposing team as well as their fellow team-mates and all officials that were involved in match 94 of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,” added CAF.

Otieno denied the accusations: “I have just learnt about the allegations and will be consulting internally on the next steps,” he said.

“Nonetheless, I wish to state that everyone who was present during the incident, including the match commissioner, knows that what has been alleged is not true.

“That notwithstanding, CAF has made a decision and as a member we will comply with it.”