COVID-19: Ghana Coach Suggests Postponement of 2020 Women’s AFCON

COVID-19: Ghana Coach Suggests Postponement of 2020 Women’s AFCON

By Editor

Ghana’s Black Queens head coach, Mercy Quarcoo-Tagoe, has called for the postponement of this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which is still without a host following the withdrawal of Republic of Congo last July. The competition was initially awarded to Congo in 2018

However, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) faced a race against time to find a replacement host for the event, scheduled for the second half of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic emerged and brought a halt to sporting activities across the world.

CAF also postponed the qualifiers for the Women’s AFCON indefinitely due to the pandemic.

According to Mercy Quarcoo-Tagoe, with no data to determine when football can return and countries still easing restrictions, it will be prudent for CAF to postpone the tournament.

“Looking at how the world has suffered from the pandemic it will be difficult to hold the Women’s AFCON. My girls are psychologically shaken by the pandemic and the situation keeps getting worse,” she told Happy FM.

The former FIFA referee also revealed that it will be difficult to have players in camp anytime soon due to the fear and stigma created by the pandemic.

“The girls even fear to visit their friends to even talk about getting them to camps for training.”

The former Halifax Ladies coach also proposed to organizers of the competition to wait and have the tournament when it’s safe.

“If we can wait and have the tournament next year to protect the players from contracting the virus, I am for that.”

The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is an international women's football competition held every two years and sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The last edition in 2018 was hosted by Ghana.