New Caledonia withdraw from Nations Cup
The New Caledonia FA (FCF) confirmed the news ten days before the tournament kicks off in Vanuatu.
In a press release the FCF cites the ongoing crisis in the French overseas territory as the reason for not participating.
“This is of course a difficult decision that our elected officials were forced to make. Indeed, after an in-depth assessment of the current situation in New Caledonia, it appeared that the exceptional and unstable circumstances our country is going through make the participation of our team in this international event impossible,” the FCF writes in the press release.
At least seven people have died in protests against the constitutional amendment that would expand New Caledonia’s electorate to include recent French arrivals, according to news agency Reuters.
The process of withdrawing was started on May 28th.
“A videoconference meeting was held on this subject in the presence of members of the Executive Bureau of the FCF (President and 2nd Vice-President), the Secretary General of the FCF, the heads of the different Departments of the FCF as well as the Coach of New Caledonia. It was proposed during this meeting the non-participation of the New Caledonian team in the next OFC Nations Cup.”
New Caledonia were supposed to play in Group A in Port Vila in the upcoming Nations Cup, alongside New Zealand, Solomon Islands and hosts Vanuatu.
The OFC have not yet made a comment on New Caledonia’s decision to withdraw.
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There’s always something isn’t there? It’s the players I feel sorry for. Yes it is understandable and I can see the Kanaks point of view, wanting more power, but some of these players have been looking forward to this competition.
If I’m not wrong, the airport and the port are closed at this moment, so they can’t leave the country.
So why didn’t the OFC just substitute the Cook Islands or Tonga in place of New Caledonia? UEFA did that in Euro 1992 with Denmark for Yugoslavia when that country had civil unrest!
An 8 nation tournament is a short tournament as it is, but 7 is even worse! It’s not just the players that are disappointed but the fans as well!
This is the first time ever for me watching this tournament because it is streaming on FIFA+! I was really looking forward to seeing New Caledonia playing!