Sao Tome reinstated in 2023 AFCON qualifying after appeal

Sao Tome e Principe have been reinstated in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying competition after successfully appealing against their disqualification over a Covid-19 protocol.

The tiny island nation located on the Equator defeated Mauritius 4-3 on aggregate in a preliminary tie three months ago only to have the 1-0 first-leg win overturned when the losers appealed.

Mauritius claimed Bolivia-based forward Luis Leal, who scored two of the four Sao Tomean goals in the tie, submitted an out-of-date PCR test and was not eligible to play.

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Their appeal succeeded and they were due to play Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria on June 9 and 13 in Group A of a competition that will provide 23 qualifiers for the mid-2023 finals in the Ivory Coast.

Sierra Leone are the other nation in the section.

Mauritian football officials have requested a full explanation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and are considering appealing to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).