Algerian cry foul after losing Nations Cup to Gabon

Apr 10, 2015

Algerian press on Thursday slammed their football federation and Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Issa Hayatou after Gabon was chosen to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

ALGIERS - Algerian press on Thursday slammed their football federation and Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Issa Hayatou after Gabon was chosen to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 2012 co-hosts won Wednesday's CAF vote held in Cairo against opposition from Algeria and 2008 hosts Ghana.

"To obtain the organisation of a competition as prestigious as the CAN is a State affair and the Algerian presentation was not sufficiently supported at political levels," daily El Watan wrote.

Other papers accused Hayatou, who has been in power since 1988, of "betraying" and "stabbing" Algeria.

El Watan implied that Hayatou had "preferred to reward neighbours Gabon after assuring the 2019 tournament will be held in his native Cameroon".

Algeria Soir were also critical saying it "was a sporting and political defeat for Algeria" while others cried "scandal" and a "historic slap in the face" for the country".

The 2017 Nations Cup was initially set to be hosted by Libya before civil war made it impossible to host the tournament.

The Ivory Coast won the 2015 edition in February after edging Ghana in a penalty shootout in Equatorial Guinea.