CAF slams Napoli over African players comments

Aurelio De Laurentiis

The Confederation of African Football has condemned Napoli President, Aurelio De Laurentiis, following his comments that the Italian Serie A club would not sign African players unless they agreed to waive playing at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Laurentiis said Napoli would avoid signing any more African players unless they agreed not to play in the AFCON.

“Enough of African players or they should give up playing in the African Cup of Nations. I won’t be buying them anymore for this reason,” De Laurentiis told a Wall Street Italia show.

In reply, Africa’s football-ruling body stated, “CAF is committed to the role that football plays in Africa, Europe, North and South America, Asia and globally of bringing together and uniting people of different cultures, language groups, races, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.