Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco banned from next two tournaments, fined $1m

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Image caption Ghanaian fans unhappy with Equatorial Guinea riot

Morocco have been banned from the next two African Nations Cup tournaments and fined $1 million as punishment for withdrawing from hosting the 2015 finals over fears of the spread of the Ebola virus, CAF said on Friday.

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The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has also been fined $1 million and ordered to pay 8.05 million euros (6 million pounds) in damages to the Confederation of African Football and their partners, CAF said in a statement.

CAF's executive committee rejected claims of force majeure from the FRMF and found the soccer governing body financially liable for the decision to withdraw from hosting the finals.

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Morocco had asked for the continental tournament be postponed by a year to allow the Ebola outbreak in west Africa to be contained.

The north African country was stripped of its hosting rights by CAF in November last year with the tournament switched to Equatorial Guinea, who stepped in at the last minute.