Africa: CAF Disowns Top African List

A list of 17 African stars supposedly nominated for the continent’s 2010 Footballer of the Year award is a fake and not released by the Confederation of African Football (Caf). In a statement, Caf says it had nothing to do with the list, which includes Ghana‘s Asamoah Gyan, Ivorian Didier Drogba and South Africa’s Steven Pienaar.

“The attention of Caf has been drawn to a fictitious list purporting to be that of nominees for the 2010 Player of the Year Awards,” the statement said. “Caf wishes to state clearly that the list did not emanate from its offices as there are known procedures for the listing of nominees for the awards. “We therefore urge the general public and the football community to disregard the said list circulating in some media circles.”

African football’s ruling body is unclear on the source of the fake story which differs to normal procedure since Caf has only named 5 nominees in the recent past. “We don’t know why anyone would want to reveal a fake list,” Caf spokesperson Suleiman Habuba said “We normally publish our list in November or December,” he added. Nonetheless, various newspapers and website across Africa published the list of nominees on Monday, with some honing in on their own country’s nominations.

The fake list had former winners such as Samuel Eto’o, Frederic Kanoute and Emmanuel Adebayor but also some surprises. Chief among them was the nomination of Michael Essien even though the Ghanaian, who missed the World Cup, had played just nine games in 2010 when the fake list was released.

Meanwhile, another Black Star, World Cup hero Andre Ayew, was absent.

Caf says it announces its players of the year through ‘scheduled media events’ and that the procedure will be no different this year. The reigning Caf African Footballer of the Year is Chelsea star Drogba, who also won the prize in 2006.

Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé)|2 October 2010|Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé)