HARARE - The 2010 edition of the regional COSAFA Senior Challenge has been cancelled after hosts Angola failed to give organisers “necessary guarantees” for the tournament to go ahead.

It is the first time the annual tournament, which was scheduled to be played in Angola this year from November 13-17, has been called off in its 13 years of existence.

While the organisers, the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA), did not shed light on the guarantees, the Daily News’ well-placed sources pinpointed security and funding as the main concerns.

The COSAFA tournament, which record-winners Zimbabwe are the defending champions having won it on home soil last year, does not fall under the FIFA calendar.

The source said while the COSAFA is a considerably smaller event, the Angolans may still be reeling from the costs of hosting the 2010 African Nations Cup finals early this year hence the “reluctance to commit to a lesser significant yet costly tournament.”

More than US$1 million, according to the Angolan government, was invested in stadiums, roads, hotels and hospitals for the Nations Cup.

On top of the financial issues, some COSAFA member countries- according to the source- raised security concerns after the Togo national team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled through the Angolan province of Cabinda on their way to the Nations Cup in January.

A separatist group, the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda - Military Position (FLEC-PM), claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a blunt press statement Monday, the COSAFA media office blamed the Angolan government for the cancellation.

“COSAFA had reached an agreement for the hosting of the Southern African championship with the Minister of Youth and Sports for Angola, Goncalves Muandumba, and the Federação Angolana de Futebol (FAF),” read the statement.

“But regrettably, despite COSAFA having given the Angolan government every opportunity to honour their earlier commitment to stage this year’s event, they have failed to give COSAFA the necessary guarantees for hosting in that country.”

COSAFA said it was unable to tie down a replacement host for the 2010 edition due to the limited time for the “effective marketing and leveraging of the event.”
The body’s president, Suketo Patel, expressed his disappointment over the cancellation.

“We are disappointed that we will not be able to take the tournament to Angola this year; it is a wonderful country and (has) top-class facilities,” Patel said.

“However, this is our flagship competition and crucial platform for the development of young talent in the region.”

Patel added: “Therefore, we must ensure that we have the full buy-in from the host country that the minimum technical requirements for the staging of a tournament of this magnitude are met. We are confident that the competition to be held next year will be another highly-successful event, and one that showcases the enormous talent in the region.”

Although it has been staged consistently since it was inaugurated in 1997, the COSAFA Senior Challenge lost its aura after South African Breweries withdrew its sponsorship.

While Zimbabwe’s 3-1 victory over Zambia in last year’s final to claim their fourth COSAFA title was celebrated with much pomp and funfare, some countries now view it as  a development tournament to give their upcoming players a run.