CAF demands an investigation in the wake of Napoli president's unacceptable anti-African comments

The dust is far from settling following the appalling comments made by Napoli owner and chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis last week. Speaking in front of cameras, Napoli's supremo remarked that African players should sign documents when signing for his club that would legally prevent them from travelling back to Africa and appearing for their national teams.

Napoli supremo is sick and tired of his players going to Africa to play in the AFCON

CAF reacted by issuing an official communique demanding a brisk investigation after the Italian businessman has breached a series of regulations.

CAF is appalled by the irresponsible and unacceptable remarks made by Napoli President, Mr Aurelio De Laurentiis on African players and the Africa Cup of Nations.

By publicly declaring that players who sign for Napoli must sign a waiver denouncing participation in the Africa Cup of Nations as a condition of employment, De Laurentiis' comments likely to fall under Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. CAF therefore urges UEFA to initiate disciplinary investigation against him.

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.

We have no doubt that Napoli and UEFA are as committed as CAF is to these global humanitarian objectives.

Are we to assume that the Chairman of Napoli is going to include similar restrictive conditions to players from South America, Asia and other Confederations prohibiting them from playing in their Continental competitions which are important for the development and growth of football globally?

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The African Cup of Nations is the flagship competition of the African continent and one of the leading global football competitions. Its last edition in Cameroon was shown in more than 160 countries and attracted more than 600 million viewers.