CAN-2019: Video Assistance (VAR) will be used from the quarter-finals

As the continent prepares to kick off the 2019 African Cup of Nations, African Football Confederation (CAF) President Ahmad Ahmad has appeared in front of the press for the traditional press conference inauguration. For an hour or so, he welcomed the Egyptian organization and spoke of several crucial points about the tournament itself, but also about the side events.

President Ahmad's major announcement comes to arbitration. A subject that has not really put continental football in the best position in recent weeks, with the fiasco of the final return of the African Champions League, interrupted following a concern likely caused by a malfunction of the video assistance ( VAR).

# CAN2019 Ahmad Ahmad, CAF President: "Twenty-eight referees are selected, the best will be on the pitch ... [...] The VAR will be used from the quarter-finals." pic.twitter.com/K1FliPyx5K

A video assistance that will finally be involved in Egypt, even if it will wait until the quarter-finals for it to come into play. "If you look at the different countries that use the VAR, you can see they do not rush This is a technology that we do not yet fully control.After discussions and consultations with technicians, we hesitated between the semi-finals and the quarterfinals.The executive committee decided for the quarters. Remember that there are matches where there is no VAR! "Ahmad Ahmad explained at length to justify this decision.

"Everything is ready"

While arbitration was unsurprisingly important during the conference, the security brief was also quickly raised. "The family of African football is here for this very first African Cup at 24. [...] The road was long, full of pitfalls, [...] but I think everything is ready," said in the preamble the president of CAF.

"We have the full guarantee of the Egyptian government, the steps they have taken, which country in the world, which city on this planet is spared from security problems?", He continued during the questioning session. .

At the conclusion of the conference, governance issues were finally discussed. In a statement read by Secretary-General Moadh Hadji, CAF announced that a joint process with Fifa had been initiated to work on how the governing body of African football operates.

CAF requires a general audit

"A general CAF audit will be conducted as soon as possible by FIFA and CAF, both of whom have appointed CAF Secretary General Fatma Samoura as Africa's General Delegate, effective 1 August 2019. and until 1 January 2020, renewable if necessary. "

It will notably work on the following topics: supervision of the operational management of CAF, efficient and professional organization of all CAF competitions, growth and development of football in all regions and countries of CAF.

And Ahmad Ahmad to conclude, finally, on his arrest last June 6 in Paris. A concluding statement during which he called in particular all the media to "not speculate" and not to convey the "rumors".

# CAN2019 Ahmad: "Let's stop these false rumors [...] I was arrested in Paris for a hearing and the complaint was not against me [...] I hear everywhere 'corruption' ... Even justice, you do not listen to it? [...] I ask you to wait for the rest, not to speculate ... "pic.twitter.com/LDYcQxpIo3