'Sabotage' Nations Cup in Gabon, activists urge

Libreville (AFP) – Two political activists called on Monday for the ‘boycott and sabotage’ of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations if it is not moved from Gabon “to a more stable country”.

Last month organisers The African Football Confederation (CAF) denied “persistent rumours” that the Jan 14-Feb 5 event would switch from Gabon whose President Ali Bongo is confronting major unrest sparked by his August re-election.

But CAF were urged to act in a public letter from Marc Ona Essangui, of Gabon, and Frenchman Laurent Duarte.

The duo gave CAF a December 15 deadline to transfer the continent’s biennial football showcase.

“The four host cities, Libreville, Franceville, Port-Gentil and Oyem have experienced the largest backlash against the rigged declaration of Ali Bongo Odimba as president,” the activists claimed in their public letter to CAF boss Issa Hayatou.

“The bloody repression of the population and the current instability in the country means the continent’s major sporting event must be moved to another country.

“If there’s no answer (from CAF) by December 15 we are calling on the people to boycott and to sabotage this Nations Cup,” they wrote.