HARARE – Despite a last minute intervention by the sports minister Aeneas Chigwedere Zimbabwe has lost its bid to host the 2010 African Cup of Nations finals. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) short-listed Libya, Angola, Nigeria and a joint bid from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to host the Cup. The minister and his entourage flew to Egypt in a vain attempt to impress the committee.
The world body received eight bids at its headquarters in Egypt on Sunday and rejected those from Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Senegal. Both Libya and Nigeria have hosted the African Cup of Nations in the past, while it would be a first for Angola as well as Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. During the next few months, inspectors from CAF will visit the short-listed nations to provide a detailed report on such things as stadiums, security, transport and communications.
Observers were amazed that Zimbabwe even bothered to make a bid at a time when it is widely known that the country has the world’s highest inflation rate, lowest life expectancy, highest unemployment rate and is battling massive fuel, food and power shortages. “They never had a chance! Why waste CAF’s time like this – in addition to the scarce foreign currency in flying a delegation all the way to Cairo?” asked the observer.
This is the third time in five years that Zimbabwe has tried unsuccessfully to host the event. – Sports reporter
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