The Africa Cup of Nations, kicking off Sunday in Cameroon after a delay over Covid concerns, is also posing major security, political and organisational challenges for the host nation.
Some were fearing yet another postponement, with African football chief Patrice Motsepe saying late last month that the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in a country with a low vaccination rate is “an enormous challenge”.
The African Football Confederation (known by its French acronym CAF) has set down draconian rules that may bar fans from entering stadiums en masse.
Spectators must be fully vaccinated and show a negative PCR test less than 72 hours before a match.
Stadium capacity is set at 60 percent though it will be increased to 80 percent when Cameroon’s own “Indomitable Lions” play — notably, in the opening match against Burkina Faso on Sunday.
Motsepe, a South Africa mining tycoon, has already acknowledged the risks presented by a proliferation of false tests.
