ADDIS ABABA – Following the African Championship, commonly called CHAN, second leg qualifiers against the minnows Djibouti a couple of months ago in Dire Dawa, the continental football governing body, the Confederation of African Football, CAF, suspended most Ethiopian stadiums for failing to meet the international standard.
At the time of the qualifier against Djibouti the Dire Dawa stadium was under renovation. Considering this the referee decided to play in a closed stadium. The country’s football governing body, the Ethiopian Football Federation, EFF, put forward complaints to CAF claiming to play in an empty stadium was unfair.
Days after this CAF decided to suspend most of the stadiums Ethiopia has for not fulfilling the international standard.
Accordingly, the 57-year old Addis Ababa stadium was erased from the international standard stadiums list. Stadiums like the Dire Dawa, Hawassa were also suspended until they are completed their construction.
But CAF, for the time being, has ordered Bahir Dar and Mekele stadiums to receive the international status.
Due to that order the continental club competitions between Fasil City andthe Tanzanian side Azam was played at Bahir Dar stadium in the first leg of the CAF cup.
The Ethiopian Premier League champions Mekele Saba Inderta hosted the second leg of the Champion’s League preliminary against the Equatorial Guinea side Cano Sports Academy at Mekele stadium.
In the wake of that CAF decision, EFF and the Sports Commission vowed to lift up the standards of the stadiums up to the internationally accepted level within a short span of time. The Sports commission also promised to start renovation of the Addis Ababa stadium shortly start to meet international standard.
But to no avail. The then Haile Selassie first stadium, renamed as Addis Ababa stadium just days after the fall Emperor Haile Selassie in September 1974, was completed to host the third Africa Nations Cup staged in Addis Ababa in 1962.
A new modern stadium has been under construction at Gerji but currently the construction is interrupted for reasons officially unexplained. It is said that financial constraints is the main reason for the interruption.
The incomplete Bahir Dar, Mekele and Hawassa stadiums remained where they were before the order of CAF. What will happen if the CAF sends inquiry team?
It is sad to see the CAF founding father to go to neighboring countries to host international matches. Before the country faces that disaster, it is good to do something substantial to meet CAF’s request.
The Ethiopian Herald November5, 2019
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
