Confederations of Africa Football association (CAF) wrote to KCCA FC on Wednesday cancelling their game against AS Kigali which means KCCA lost the match by 2-0 without kicking the ball.
KCCA who travelled to Kigali on Sunday could not have recommended number of players for the game to take place after many of them were left behind, having tested positive of COVID-19.
The club traveled to Kigali on Sunday without any goalkeeper, including their manager Mike Mutebi.
According to CAF AFCON Organizing Committee, which is also in-line with the FIFA laws of the game, each match must be played if the team has at least 11 players (including goalkeeper) + 4 substitutes.
As well as According to COVID 19 regulations, if a team does not have the minimum number of players (11 players including goal keeper) + 4 substitutes to play a match the team will be considered to have lost the match 2-0.
In exceptional circumstances the organizing committee will be consulted for a final decision concerning the match. The same guidelines state: “In case a Participating Team cannot travel to the host country and/or venue of a Match due to any travel or other restriction relating to COVID-19, the Participating Team in question shall be considered to have lost the match 2 – 0.
For AFCON qualifiers, the list is not restrictive, therefore the National Associations can travel with unlimited number of players.
KCCA FC’s focus will go to the return leg which will be played on January 6th 2021 in Kampala as AS Kigali will hope to rely on the 2-0 advantage.
