Former Democratic Republic of Congo defender, Gabriel Zakuani, has told the BBC that he “cannot see the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations happening” because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Next year’s tournament was scheduled to take place in June and July but was changed to January and February because of the weather conditions in host country Cameroon.
Zakuani, who played for DR Congo 30 times, says African players need some clarity in a season which is now dominated by uncertainty.
“I think realistically we have to write it off. It’s not going to happen. I can’t see it happening,” Zakuani told the BBC World Service’s Newsday programme.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of friends from Africa and they’ve said the same thing. They just can’t see it being ready in time. There’s literally no time. The pressure to get the domestic leagues going is also a problem.
“So there’s the domestic leagues, you’ve got to get the training camp in, you’ve got to select squads – there’s too much to get done before the January/February period. So I can’t see it happening.”
Last month, the president of Senegal’s football federation, Augustin Senghor, told the BBC it would be “impossible” for the 2021 Nations Cup to take place if qualifying cannot be completed.
There are still four rounds of group qualifiers to be played and Zakuani says it is important for the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to make a decision quickly.
“I would be expecting an announcement soon and Caf really do have to get it out there and just let the players relax. A lot of the players have a lot of pressure at the moment with their club teams – being uncertain because of Covid-19 – and then not knowing about the Africa Cup of Nations. There’s too much going on.”
BAME players returning to football
Gabriel Zakuani, 33, was with Dagenham and Redbridge who play in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, when their season ground to a halt because of Covid-19.
With talks continuing to see how English Premier League football can resume, Zakuani says it is important to look at the risks involved for players, especially those from an ethnic minority background.
According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people in England and Wales, and Zakuani says this is a real worry.
“I’ve seen a lot being said about it but we have to look at the facts. It’s concerning if you’re of black origin and you’re seeing there are more numbers with the stats saying that it’s more likely you’re going to get infected.
“The scientific facts have to get laid out first before any ball is kicked. There’s not much we know about this disease. So we need to know what’s going on as it is a health risk.
“Football is a contact sport – there’s no way you can stay two metres away. So it’s a tough one. I feel the authorities are under a lot of pressure from supporters. Everyone wants to see it [football] back on but we need to put the brakes on and make sure that it’s safe when the players get onto the pitch.”
