CAF have announced the suspension of Gabon and Djibouti from the 2020 African Nations Championships because the teams withdrew from their qualifying matches for the 2018 tournament.

CAF published the decision on its website, on Wednesday, quoting Articles 59 and 62 of the football body’s regulations.

The release reads:

In accordance with the provisions of Article 59 of the regulations of the Total African Nations Championship, the Organising Committee at its meeting on Wednesday, 15 November 2017, in Rabat, decided to suspend Gabon and Djibouti from the next edition of the CHAN scheduled for 2020.

Few days prior to their qualifier against Equatorial Guinea, specifically 5 August 2017, the Gabon Football Federation sent a letter of withdrawal from the competition. On the other hand, the Djibouti Football Federation also communicated its withdrawal on 17 July 2017.

Article 59 states that: “Any association declaring forfeit after the start of the matches is liable to a fine of ten thousand (10,000) US dollars. It will also not be allowed to participate in the next edition of the CHAN”.

For withdrawing after playing in the first leg of the qualifiers against Ethiopia, there is a further sanction for Djibouti in accordance with Article 62 of the regulation which states that: “Any team that withdraws or refuses to play the return match after having played the first leg on its own territory must refund the association of the visiting team a minimum sum of ten thousand (10,000) US dollars in repair for the damage suffered by the host country”.

By that, the Organising Committee has sanctioned the Djibouti Football Federation to pay the sum of ten thousand (10,000) US dollars to the Ethiopia Football Federation.