Ahmad Ahmad, head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), stated recently that he was in touch with all African confederations amid the coronavirus crisis to determine if and when African sports activities which have been suspended over the pandemic, will resume. These would include the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, which were originally scheduled to be played on 1 May. “We have to wait. As president of CAF, I personally invite everyone to be very careful and wait for the situation to normalise,” Ahmad was quoted in the press as saying. “At that time, we can eventually resume competitions. I do not want football to be a source of destabilisation of the barrier measures taken by the various governments to face this pandemic,” he said. “This general lack of visibility does not allow us to anticipate and plan our activities. At present, we are working closely with the World Health Organisation as well as with the health authorities of each country, and especially the African Union,” Ahmad said. “The outcome of these steps will allow us to see more clearly the situation of football in Africa. However, for the past two weeks, our administration has contacted the various national federations that are members of CAF so that we can inquire about the realities on the spot, so that we can plan the outcome of the various continental competitions,” he explained. “The priority is health. If this crisis continues, it is like any phenomenon of human life,” the CAF president said. “We cannot send our young people to the slaughterhouse. It is up to us to see and discuss with our business partners, discuss with all those who cooperate with us in the organisation of these competitions and we will see then. The urgency defines the priorities.” The CAF has already invited all 52 members of African federations to send their future plans for the rest of the year by the end of May, their assessment of the situation and what steps and precautions are they preparing for to resume football activities amid the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the postponement, three of Egypt's football teams qualified to the semi-finals of the African Champions League and Confederation Cup which are on hold. Ahly and Zamalek are in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Pyramids of Egypt are also in the Confed semi-finals. Egypt's two arch-rivals and powerhouses Ahly and Zamalek overcame their African contenders to book their tickets to the semi-final round of the Champions League and are facing two Moroccan sides Wydad de Casablanca and Raja de Casablanca respectively. The first leg matches of the semi-final were due to be played on 1 or 2 May in Morocco, while the return matches were to be played on 8 or 9 May in Egypt in Cairo Stadium. Ahly, the record eight-time champions, reserved their place in the last four after a one-all draw with South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns in their second leg quarter-final match held in Pretoria. Ahly progressed 3-1 on aggregate, avenging their 5-0 loss to Sundowns in the same stage in last year's edition, their worst defeat in their African history. Wydad beat Ahly in the final of the Champions League two years ago. Zamalek of Egypt also reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2016 in spite of losing to holders Esperance of Tunisia 1-0 at Rades Olympic Stadium on Friday. Zamalek had won the first-leg 3-1. Zamalek qualified with an aggregate 3-2 victory. They were due to face Morocco's Raja Casablanca in the semis after Raja beat DR Congo's TP Mazembe 2-0. In the second tier Confederation Cup, although they lost at home to Zambia's Zanaco 1-0, Egypt's Pyramids progressed to the semi-finals of the tournament 3-1 on aggregate. Winning 3-0 away from home in Zambia in the first-leg a week earlier, Pyramids needed to avoid a defeat of more than two goals at home and that was what they did to qualify to the semis and write history for themselves. Pyramids are playing in only their second season in the Egyptian league and are playing in an African tournament for the first time. Despite all restrictions placed on sports, Ahli, Zamalek and Pyramids are doing their best in training to keep fit for the semis in the hopes of capturing two major club football championships. *A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
