In a bold decision, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria three points and three goals following a controversial travel incident involving the Libyan Football Federation.
This ruling follows the crucial return leg match incident in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers between Nigeria and Libya.
The issue began when the Nigerian national team’s flight, originally scheduled to land at the designated airport, was suddenly diverted by Libyan officials to an airport nearly 300 kilometers away.
The pilot, aware that the plane was running low on fuel, reportedly notified Libyan authorities, but the flight was redirected regardless, causing an unexpected delay and raising safety concerns.
In response, CAF intervened, awarding Nigeria three points and a three-goal lead due to what they called a “violation of fair play and travel standards.”
CAF also fined the Libyan Football Federation $50,000 for its role in the incident, emphasizing that such actions compromise both safety and sportsmanship.