CAF Snubs U-20 Protest
-But Technical Director Accuses Match Commissioner of Conspiracy

                             Liberia’s Technical Director Henry Browne

By SWAL Rep Leroy M. Sonpon, III in Niger

The Confederation Africaine De Football (CAF) has rejected the protest of the U-20 Lone Star team, filed by the Liberia Football Association (LFA) owing to protest procedural, but Liberia’s Technical Director Henry Browne accused Match commissioner Abdel Hakim El Shelmani of conspiracy.

According to the letter dated 24 April 2012, under the signature of the General Secretary of CAF, Hicham El Amrani, he wrote that Liberia’s protest was not in compliant with the Competition’s regulations.

The CAF Chief Scribe stated that according to the rules and regulations governing the 18th African U-20 Championship, the Administrative Manager (Team Manager) should not have signed the protest given to Match commissioner Abdel Hakim El Shelmani, but rather, it should have been done by the Captain of the Liberia U-20 team and countersigned by the Niger’s Captain.

“Kindly note the following provisions of Article 19 of the Competition’s regulations stipulating: 1 - It must be preceded by a nominal and motivated protest formulated on the proper form, before the match, by the captain of the protesting team and communicated to the captain of the opposing team who will countersign it. In this case, the referee must inform the Secretariat by fax, cable or telex immediately after the match. 2 – I t must be confirmed by a registered letter, by telex, by cable or by fax, sent to the CAF Secretariat at most 48 hours after the match. 3 – The protest fees are fixed at $1,200 (One Thousand Two Hundred US Dollars) which will be returned to the protesting team if the protest is upheld.”

The CAF Chief Scribe also informed the LFA of submitting the “protest” to a competent committee for investigation, if required.

Meanwhile, the head of delegation of the U-20 Lone Star delegation, who is also the Technical Director of the LFA has accused Libyan Match Commissioner Abdel Hakim El Shelmani of conspiracy.

He stated that when Administrative Manager Eric Panton discovered the illegal players during inspection, they immediately informed Commissioner Shelmani and requested the ‘Protest Form,’ but the Commissioner told them that he did not have the ‘Protest Form.’

“While we were talking about the form, Commissioner Shelmani signaled referee Keita Mohamadou and his assistants (Malians) to order the teams for warm-up on the pitch.

“Owing to our persistent dialogue with the Commissioner, we were only able to get the photocopies of the seven players before the match.

“Immediately after the match, when we again contacted Commissioner Shelmani, he insisted that he never have any protest form, and therefore instructed us to buy a paper to write our protest and since it was not the form, he asked the paper to be signed by the Administrative Manager, knowing that it was not the procedure,” Mr. Browne opined.

The Liberia Football Association’s Technical Director in furious mood said the act of the Commissioner was a “complete conspiracy,” intended to support the home team.

He also urged the LFA to pursuit the protest, to be investigated by the CAF’s competent as well as the unprofessional attitude of the Match Commissioner.