The Confederation of African Football is once again under intense scrutiny following its latest ruling involving Morocco, but for many within the game, such controversy is nothing new.

One of the most troubling precedents dates back to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, when the Togo national football team found themselves at the center of tragedy before a ball was even kicked.

As the team travelled through the Cabinda region, their bus came under a brutal machine-gun ambush that killed three members of their delegation and left several others injured.

The horrifying attack plunged the squad into mourning, with captain Emmanuel Adebayor later revealing the psychological toll it took on the players.

In the immediate aftermath, there was initial determination within the camp to honour the fallen by competing.

However, that possibility was cut short when the Togolese government stepped in, ordering the team to withdraw on grounds of national mourning and security.

CAF’s reaction stunned the football world.

Rather than making allowances for the extraordinary circumstances, the governing body disqualified Togo, imposed a $50,000 fine, and banned the nation from the next two AFCON tournaments, citing government interference in football matters.

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The decision triggered widespread condemnation across the global football community, with many questioning how a team grieving a deadly attack could be punished so severely.

Pressure quickly mounted on FIFA to act, and they did.

FIFA intervened decisively, engaging CAF in high-level discussions that ultimately led to the lifting of the ban and the cancellation of the financial penalty.

The reversal was seen as a necessary correction, restoring a measure of justice to a situation many believed had been mishandled.

Yet, even with that intervention, the damage to CAF’s image lingered.

FKA/JE

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