BBC Sportfootball

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Related BBC sites

Page last updated at 22:56 GMT, Monday, 11 January 2010

Attack on Togo at Cup of Nations - Timeline

Togolese gendarmes carry the coffin, wrapped in the national flag, of one of the men killed in the gun attack in Angola
Togolese gendarmes carry the coffin, wrapped in the national flag, of one of the men killed in the gun attack in Angola

Togo have been officially disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations after they withdrew from the competition following the fatal gun attack on their team bus on Friday.

The team flew home from Angola for a three-day period of national mourning on Sunday and missed their opening match against Ghana on Monday.

BBC Sport takes a look at how events have unfolded over the last few days.

FRIDAY, 8 JANUARY

1430 GMT (approx): A convoy of buses carrying the Togo players and officials comes under heavy gunfire in the northern Angola enclave of Cabinda. The bus driver is killed instantly and nine people are reported to be wounded in an attack that lasts for 30 minutes.

The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec) says it carried out the attack and claims it is the start of a series of targeted actions for the region.

Two players - central defender Serge Akakpo and reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale - are among the injured. Obilale is flown to South Africa for surgery.

An assistant coach and spokesman are among those shot. Togo captain and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Aston Villa's Moustapha Salifou emerge unhurt from the bullet-riddled bus, while Togo coach Hubert Velud says he was grazed by a bullet.

Emmanuel Adebayor tells BBC Afrique it was 'one of the worst experiences of my life'

Midfielder Alaixys Romao says Togo are likely to pull out of the tournament, while Adebayor, who helps carry the injured to hospital, tells BBC Sport: "A lot of players want to leave. They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything."

Fifa offers its sympathies while the Confederation of African Football (Caf) holds an emergency meeting to discuss taking "decisions to guarantee the smooth running of the competition".

SATURDAY, 9 JANUARY

Togo players hold a morning meeting to decide whether to play in the tournament. Manchester City's website issues a statement saying Adebayor and team-mates have decided to pull out.

Meanwhile, British newspapers report that Hull manager Phil Brown wants his players - Gabon striker Daniel Cousin and Nigerian midfielder Seyi Olofinjana - to return home.

Salifou tells Villa's website that he and his team-mates want to leave for home, while coach Velud calls for the authorities to consider cancelling the tournament.

1330 GMT: Togo assistant coach and press officer confirmed dead, taking death toll to three.

1437: Togolese officials name the dead men as media officer Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Amalete Abalo.

1440: Reports from France suggest goalkeeper Obilale has died from his injuries, taking the death toll to four. That news is later proved to be false.

1442: Reuters reports that Ivory Coast, who are in Group B with Togo and also due to play in Cabinda, have no plans to quit the tournament.

1451: The Angolan Prime Minister Paulo Kassoma guarantees other countries safety at the Africa Cup of Nations and insists the attack on Togo was an isolated incident.

CABINDA
Map
Oil-rich province cut off from the rest of Angola by DR Congo
Flec rebels fought for region's independence
Rebels laid down arms in 2006 but some unrest continues
Angola had dismissed concerns about staging games there

1558: The Press Association reports that Togo have pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations.

1655: Reuters reports an Angolan government source who says Togo will remain in the Africa Cup of Nations.

1743: French news agency AFP reports that the Togo government has recalled the team from the tournament. Spokesman Pascal Bodjona says: "We can't continue in these dramatic circumstances. It was necessary because our players are in shock."

1900: Fifa president Sepp Blatter: "I am very sad because it is the first time in my 35 years working in Fifa that a football delegation has been directly under attack and I can only express all my deep sympathy to the victims. The Africa Cup of Nations must go on."

2202: Caf confirms that the games scheduled to take place in Cabinda will go ahead as planned. It also says it would understand if Togo decide to leave the tournament.

2250: Ghana, Togo's first opponents in Group B, ask the Sparrowhawks to reconsider their decision to pull out of the tournament.

2339: Togo Prime Minister Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo says the country will begin three days of mourning on Monday, 11 January. The Togolese government also wants an apology from Angola and the tournament organisers for sending its team to Cabinda.

SUNDAY, 10 JANUARY

0006: Caf president Issa Hayatou expresses his sympathy to Togo and insists their withdrawal from their tournament would be accepted, although he did not officially confirm their departure.

0015: AFP reports that the Togo players decide to play in the Africa Cup of Nations.

0224: French paper L'Equipe quotes Togo midfielder Alaixys Romao as saying the team had agreed to stay in Cabinda for its first Group B match against Ghana on Monday. "The decision was taken unanimously," said Romao.

606: DEBATE
ErnestKabu

0506: His team-mate Thomas Dossevi adds strength to rumours that Togo will play, telling AFP: "In memory of the dead, the national team has decided to play in the African Nations Cup."

0637: Goalkeeper Obilale, who was wrongly reported to have died on Saturday, is said to be in a "stable condition" in a Johannesburg hospital.

0827: AFP reports that a Togolese government minister has told the team they must return home. Prime Minister Houngbo says: "If a team or some people present themselves under the Togolese flag, it will be a false representation."

0939: Separatist guerrillas from Flec who claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on Togo's football team threatened new attacks in Angola, warning that "weapons will continue to talk" in Cabinda.

1151: Press Association says there is confusion over whether Togo will play in the tournament. The players say yes, the government says no.

1200: Prime Minister Houngbo tells the BBC: "We have not had a single call of sympathy from Caf. Anybody who is involved in security matters will tell you that it would be irresponsible for us just to pretend that nothing has happened, and to just let the 'music', the 'show', go on.

"We took into account their last-minute change of mind. Up to midnight last night GMT they were all unanimous that they wanted to come back. After the delegation that we sent to visit them left, then they had another meeting and all of a sudden they changed their mind and we do respect that.

"But in memory of those who had lost their lives, we also need to take into account what the families also think is the best way to pay tribute to them. That does not overtake the importance of security, and security is non-negotiable."

The Togo players leave their hotel in Cabinda to travel to the airport
The Togo players leave their hotel in Cabinda to travel to the airport

1254: Togo captain Adebayor says the team will return home on the advice of the Togolese government. President Faure Gnassingbe sends his plane to collect them.

1430: Caf confirms there will be a minute's silence before each of the opening group games.

1813: Angola president Jose Eduardo dos Santos condemns the attack on the Togo players at the tournament's opening ceremony. He said: "We condemn this act of terror, but the competition will continue in Cabinda. We are together, may the best man win."

1912: Togo may yet play in the tournament after Sports Minister Christophe Tchao tells reporters in Cabinda that Togo had asked Caf to find a way for the team to rejoin the competition later.

While the Togo players fly home, hosts Angola squander a four-goal lead in the last 10 minutes of the opening game of the tournament as they draw 4-4 with Mali.

2328: The Togo team's presidential plane lands in Lome, Togo.

MONDAY, 11 JANUARY

0757: AFP reports that Angola police have arrested two suspects in Cabinda.

1027: BBC correspondent Russell Fuller is in Angola's capital Luanda and says that Caf has turned down Togo's request to return to the Africa Cup of Nations. Group B will now contain just three teams - Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

1114: Flags are flying at half mast in Togo as the country begins three days of mourning.

1152: Togo Prime Minister Houngbo denies the country wants to re-enter the Africa Cup of Nations. He told BBC Radio 5 live: "I do believe there is confusion. The information you have got, I'm afraid, might not be the most accurate.

"We have simply withdrawn our team, it is not a matter of withdrawing for the mourning period. The information that has been circulated on some websites saying the players are just back for three days' mourning and will then go back playing is quite wrong. We withdrew our team on the basis they have been the victim of a terrorist attack."

1335: Reuters reports that Togo will be disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations by Caf if they do not show up for their Group B game against Ghana on Monday. A Caf official said: "The referee has been ordered to start the match and if Togo are not there, then they will be declared to have withdrawn and be disqualified."

It is not yet known whether Ghana will have to go through the pretence of preparing for the match and taking to the pitch.

1830: The proposed kick-off time for Togo v Ghana passes. Shortly afterwards a Caf spokesman confirms Togo are officially disqualified.



Print Sponsor


see also
Togo's Nations Cup exit confirmed
11 Jan 10 |  African
Angola 'arrests' over Togo attack
11 Jan 10 |  Africa
Q&A: Cabinda conflict
12 Jan 10 |  Africa
Angola 4-4 Mali
10 Jan 10 |  African
Angola v Mali as it happened
10 Jan 10 |  African
Africa Cup of Nations photos
10 Jan 10 |  Football
Togo footballers tell of attack
08 Jan 10 |  Africa
Togo footballers shot in ambush
08 Jan 10 |  Africa
Africa Cup of Nations: Venue guide
07 Jan 10 |  Africa
Togo country profile
07 May 11 |  Country profiles
Country profile: Angola
07 Apr 11 |  Country profiles


related bbc links:

related internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites