Benin Republic coach, Gernot Rohr, has expressed his surprise at the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision not to impose a stadium ban on Libya following the mishandling of the Super Eagles' visit last month for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, Nigeriasoccernet.com writes.
Rohr, who guided Nigeria from 2016 to 2021, had anticipated that CAF would sanction Libya, especially after the Nigerian team was subjected to severe mistreatment upon their arrival. The Super Eagles were left stranded at the airport for 16 hours without necessities such as food, water, or internet, before their scheduled match in Libya.
As a result of these conditions, CAF awarded Nigeria a 3-0 victory and three points for the fixture, while Libya was fined $50,000. Despite this decision, Rohr had hoped that CAF would go a step further by banning Libya from hosting matches in the future, requiring them to play on neutral ground for the remainder of the qualifiers.
Rohr noted his expectation that Libya would face stronger repercussions, such as a suspension from using their home stadium, to uphold the integrity of the competition.
“We thought perhaps that after what happened with Nigeria, they (the Libyans) would have had a suspension from the field to play like us on neutral ground,” Rohr said. However, CAF’s ruling did not include a stadium ban, which left him disappointed.
As the team prepares for their upcoming match in Libya, Rohr remains hopeful for a fair and unbiased officiating, emphasizing the importance of correct refereeing in ensuring a level playing field.