Libya Exco Laments Nigeria’s Strong Backing At CAF Hearing

Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, a Libyan member of the CAF Executive Committee, has expressed frustration and disappointment with Libya’s weak representation at the CAF hearing regarding the contentious Libya-Nigeria match.

Recall that the Nigerian team encountered a multitude of hardships when their flight was rerouted from Benghazi Airport to a smaller facility, Al Abraq Airport.

This diversion resulted in the players and officials being held for over 15 hours, deprived of essential needs such as food, water, and access to the internet.

Speaking during CAF hearing on the botched match, Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani pointed out that Nigeria had over 20 representatives, including the Minister of Sports, lawmakers and prominent figures, while he was the only one representing Libya.

Al-Shalmani feels that Libyan officials have neglected this important matter, which affects Libya’s dignity and sporting reputation.

He believes it’s unreasonable for him to appeal to the authorities individually without official support.

Al-Shalmani emphasized, “While I was representing Libya alone, this issue should have been an opportunity to unite and support the homeland. It is unreasonable for me to appeal to the responsible authorities individually without an official position to support my efforts. This issue affects Libya’s dignity and sporting reputation and requires collective action.”

It’s worth noting that the CAF has taken the disturbing experiences of the Nigerian National Football Team seriously and had referred the matter to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation.