AFCON: Namibia lose appeal against Burkina Faso
By Pap Saine
According to RFI monitored in Banjul, Namibia have lost their appeal against Burkina Faso following allegation that Erve Zengue, a star player of Burkina Faso senior national team, “is not a citizen” of that country.
The appeal was in connection with the home-and-away matches between Namibia and Burkina in AFCON - the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2012 - to be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Burkina Faso defeated Namibia 4-0 in the first leg played in Ouagadougou on 26 March 2011. In the return leg played in Windhoek on 1 June 2011, Namibia lost against Burkina Faso by 4-1.
Erve Zengue was featured by Burkina Faso in both games.
Zengue, it would be noted, was born in Cameroun but has never played for Cameroun. While in Burkina Faso, Zengue was naturalised when he got married to a Burkinabe national.
Both FIFA and CAF on Saturday, 29 October, ruled in favour of Burkina Faso, after sitting on the appeal.
According to the Burkina Faso constitution if one gets married to any of its nationals, that person is entitled to be a citizen of the country.
