TOGO: SOCCER - Soccer stars meet to plan funeral of their slain colleagues, also disappointed they can't play in Africa's biggest football tournament

Record ID: 863560

  • Title: TOGO: SOCCER - Soccer stars meet to plan funeral of their slain colleagues, also disappointed they can't play in Africa's biggest football tournament
  • Date: 14th January 2010
  • Summary: LOME, TOGO (JANUARY 12, 2010) (REUTERS) PLAYERS ENTERING MEETING ROOM TOGO TEAM CAPTAIN EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR GREATING ANOTHER TOGOLESE PLAYER ALEXIS ROMANO VARIOUS OF PLAYERS SITTING IN MEETING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOGO TEAM CAPTAIN, EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR, SAYING: "Even now, I don't watch the matches. I just get told the end score. At the moment I can't think about CAN. All my thoughts are taken by Stan Ocloo and Abalo, Mr Amelete. For me, good luck to those who are at CAN, in my heart I am with them, but I pray to God that nothing should happen to the rest of the national teams who are there at the moment. VARIOUS OF ADEBAYOR AND OTHER PLAYERS TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOGO STRIKER, THOMAS DOSSEVI, SAYING: "It's a very tough thing. And we feel a little disappointed by the CAF reaction. We would have liked at the very least that CAF supports us, they didn't do it in this case, and it's really very sad." PLAYERS LEAVING MEETING ROOM
  • Embargoed: 29th January 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Togo
  • City:
  • Country: Togo
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAD8ONI4MN4AO5X5TGRW9GFSUX6
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Togo players say they are disappointed they have been disqualified from the African Nations Cup.
    The team met behind closed doors on Tuesday (January 12) to make arrangements for the funerals of their two colleagues killed in an ambush by rebels last Friday.
    They'd returned home on Sunday in the aftermath of the attack and were subsequently disqualified from the tournament by the Confederation of African Football, after failing to turn up for their match against Ghana.
    Seven people were wounded including reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale.
    The team's captain, Emmanuel Adebayor of English Premiership side Manchester City, said the players were in mourning and thinking of Obilale, who they said "is doing better" in hospital in Johannesburg.
    He said he couldn't bear to watch the matches taking place in Angola, and had to be told the results.
    He wished good luck to all those taking part in the Cup competition and prayed nothing untoward should happen to them.
    But striker Thomas Dossevi said the players were not happy with the way the Confederation handled the events, and said the organisation had not even offered the team its condolences.
    "We would have liked at the very least that CAF supports us, they didn't do it in this case, and it's really very sad," Dossevi said.
    The Togolese soccer squad will attend a national funeral for Stan Ocloo and Abalo Amelete on Friday (January 15) at the Lome stadium.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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