By; Kiflu Hussain
I don’t know whether CAF has a regulation that prohibits making a political statement during African Cup of Nations (AFCON) football matches. I know it’s not allowed making a political statement in Olympics. A case in point; in 2012 a South Korean football player who made such a statement against Japan over a border dispute by revealing a symbol he hid under his official shirt after scoring a goal was banned from the medal ceremony. Why did I bring this up? Because of a disturbing unconfirmed report that the Ethiopian regime via the Embassy in South Africa are putting pressure on Ethiopian footballers to wear a shirt that carries Meles Zenawi’s picture under the national shirt so that they show it off after scoring a goal in the upcoming match with Burkina Faso. If that’s the case, CAF and all concerned should know that the deceased was a criminal against humanity, a traitor who traded off Ethiopia’s vital interests and a warmonger who brought division, suffering and destruction in the Horn of Africa. Showing off the deceased’s picture in the stadium will surely destroy the spirit of the popular sport that is supposed to promote and strengthen African brother and sisterhood.Therefore, CAF should nip this shameless bid of the cadres of the Ethiopian regime in the bud. Cadres have no place in sports fields.
An Ethiopian social & political commentator exiled in Uganda
Email;kiflukam@yahoo.com