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Drogba claims dismissed
05/02/2008 15:58 - (SA)
Accra - Africa's governing football body Caf on Tuesday dismissed claims by Didier Drogba that he had been snubbed for the African Footballer of the Year award because he did not attend the awards ceremony.
Drogba had earlier claimed that he was phoned by a Caf official and told that if he did not attend, the award would be given to the second placed player.
Caf media officer Arlindo Macedo said that he could not believe that Drogba did not receive the award, which went to Mali and Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute, because he was not present at the ceremony.
"I do not believe that to be the case. Drogba sent his wife and sister to Lome and I do not think that they would hold it against him that he was not there himself.
"One must remember that Kanoute carried his team Sevilla on his shoulders for much of the season last season. I think he is a very worthy winner and certainly in December last year Drogba was not leading the standings."
However, Drogba has vowed to pull out of future elections for the African Player of the Year.
The Chelsea want-away was widely tipped to win the award after some excellent performances for both club and country, but decided to stay away from the award ceremony that took place in Togo's capital Lome on Friday last week - less than 48 hours before Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Guinea.
Drogba said that he was contacted by an official of Africa's ruling body Caf and told that if he did not make the trip to Lome, he would not receive the award and instead it would be given to Kanoute.
"He told me that if I didn't appear at the ceremony the rules would be changed - that I would no longer be first and that the prize would go to the runner-up, Frederic Kanoute," Drogba told journalists.
"I don't think this type of attitude honours Africa so I've decided to pull out of future elections for the Ballon d'Or. In my eyes this award has lost its value.
"If I refused to go to Lome it was first for my teammates as you don't organise such an event just two days before a quarter-final.
"I didn't go as well because of the son of our previous coach Ulrich Stilieke died."
Stielike resigned as Ivory Coast coach just a few days before the start of the tournament to be with his sick son.
Ghana's Michael Essien, who placed second in the award, attended the ceremony after receiving permission from his coach to travel to Lome.
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Rugby
