PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
“We must learn from what happened to Libya, and this is a wake-up call for African countries to improve hospitality for the visiting team to promote the essence of football”
Rwandese Association Football Federation Vice President Richard Mugisha has praised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for taking disciplinary action against Libya over their inhumane treatment of Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
In an exclusive chat with Persecondnews, Mogisha said that football promotes friendship and unity, condemning Libya’s actions.
He commended the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for ensuring a smooth arrival and providing essential amenities for Rwanda’s national team in Uyo.
Despite Rwanda’s third-place standing in Group D with five points, Mogisha remains optimistic about his team’s chances against the Super Eagles on Monday.
He hinted that Nigeria might field a weaker team since they’ve already secured a spot in Morocco.
The full interview:
PSN: Did you have any hitches at the Uyo Airport?
Mugisha: We had no issues at all. Countries have different practices on how they admit people in, but I commend the immigration and the Nigeria Football Federation for making it easy with the clearance.
PSN: What’s your take on the CAF sanction on Libya?
I think there is a whole lot to improve concerning that. We know there is the mind game in football; for example, what transpired between Nigeria and Libya took a path that was unnecessary.
At the end of the day, you have to be hospitable as a host. Help make clearance at the airport easy; we must learn from what happened to Libya, and this is a wake-up call for African countries to improve hospitality for the visiting team to promote the essence of football.
If you are going to lose, do it honorably; if you are going to win, win honorably.
I want to applaud CAF for the tough decision; it was necessary to serve as a warning to others who indulge in the dark art.
I will urge CAF to also send more security personnel to games and the visiting team because they serve as the eyes of CAF in any eventuality. Teams in Africa definitely observed what happened to Libya, and that will definitely improve the standard of football in Africa, but I will urge CAF to maintain the standard or even improve on it.
PSN: Do you think you can grab maximum points against Nigeria?
Mogisha: We know Nigeria have qualified, but we need this win more than them; our hope of qualifying is tied to this game. We have hope and courage. Since Nigeria have gotten the tickets, personally I think they won’t bring their strong leg against us, because at the end of the day they won’t risk their best players.
And I know we have a solid team that can take on Nigeria. If you follow African football, you will know how well we have improved and how dangerous we can be on our good days. There is a possibility of us qualifying; we are not going to let it slip easily. We are aware it’s not easy; we are prepared for the challenge.
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