Harambee Starlets through to 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations as Equatorial Guinea disqualified

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

 

National women’s football team, Harambee Starlets will make its second appearance at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations slated for November 17-December 2 in Ghana, following Equatorial Guinea’s disqualification from the competition.

This follows yesterday’s Confederation of African Football Confederation (CAF) decision to upheld Football Kenya Federation’s appeal against six ineligible Equatorial Guinea players, who featured in their two-legged final qualification round.

The David Ouma coached side had lost 3-2 on aggregate to the West African Nation, but FKF successfully lodged an appeal on June 9 2018.

The decision comes barely a four days after their male counterparts, Harambee Stars thrashed Ethiopia 3-0 to put themselves in a pole position to qualify for next year’s African Nations Cup in Cameroon.

“In their initial letter, Kenya was protesting the eligibility of 6 players, however, they only maintained their protest regarding one player: Anette Jacky Messomo. The player in question was allegedly of Cameroonian nationality and had played for several European based clubs,” read part of the letter sent to FKF General Secretary/CEO Robert Muthomi following a CAF Disciplinary Board hearing at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

“Considering CAF Statutes; CAF Regulations, in particular the Regulations of the Women AFCON 2018; and the CAF Disciplinary Code, the Disciplinary Board decides that Kenya’s protest is upheld; A sanction of 10, 0000 USD (Ten Thousand Dollars) is imposed on the Equatorial Guinea FA; and Equatorial Guinea’s Team is disqualified from the TOTAL African Women’s Cup of Nations 2018,” continued the letter.

The news was warmly welcomed by FKF president Nick Mwendwa, who said: “We are very excited with the ruling and that means we might take two teams to AFCON. This is a culmination of the great work we have been doing for the last three years. If the girls finish in the top three, they will qualify for the World Cup in France next year.”