Ebola: Morocco have been banned from AFCON 2017 and 2019 and fined €882,000

"The CAF (the Confederation of African Football) Executive Committee decided to suspend the national team of Morocco from the next two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), 2017 and 2019, and to impose on the federation the regulatory fine of US$ 1 million (€882,000)" because Morocco cited the outbreak of the Ebola virus as a case of force majeure in refusing to host Orange AFCON 2015 as scheduled and agreed, announced CAF on 06/02/2015.

Equatorial Guinea were chosen by CAF as the hosts of AFCON 2015 (from 17/01 to 08/02/2015) on 14/11/2014. Morocco, which was to host the 30^th edition of this competition, reiterated its request on 08/11/2014 to postpone the tournament until 2016. The Executive Committee of CAF had confirmed that the AFCON 2015 would not take place in Morocco, on 11/11/2014. Morocco was disqualified from the AFCON 2015, having qualified automatically as the host nation.

• "Contrary to what the Royal Moroccan Football Federation cited, force majeure cannot be accepted for the benefit of the federation.
• Morocco had based its request to postpone the tournament…