OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Burkina Faso have left out Cameroon-born defender Herve Zengue, who is embroiled in an eligibility row, from a 25-man preliminary squad for next month’s African Nations Cup finals.
Three other foreign-born players, also controversially issued Burkinabe citizenship to play for the national team in the qualifiers, are in the party named by coach Paulo Duarte.
They are the Ivory Coast-born trio of Stephane Agbre, Djakaridja Kone and striker Abdou Razak Traore.
Namibia have protested that Burkina Faso used the Russian-based Zengue under false pretences in their qualifying matches this year.
Zengue was selected for Burkina Faso’s qualifying matches on the basis of a marriage with a Burkinabe citizen but Namibia are protesting this does not qualify him him to play in terms of the FIFA statutes.
The Confederation of African Football threw out the Namibian protest last month on a technicality over the way they lodged their protest rather than the substance of their case but the southern African country have persisted with their case, even after losing their appeal to African football’s governing body.
They have now taken their case to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, who are expected to announce a decision next week.
Namibia are seeking to replace Burkina Faso in the 16-team Nations Cup field but the Burkinabe have continued with their preparations, which include a training camp in Cameroon and a friendly international against co-hosts Gabon on January 9.
Burkina Faso have been drawn in Group B in the Nations Cup, alongside Angola, the Ivory Coast and Sudan.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Daouda Diakite (KV Turnhout, Belgium), Moussa Germain Sanou (St Etienne, France), Adama Sawadogo (Missile FC, Gabon)
Defenders: Stephane Agbre (Atletico CP, Portugal), Ibrahim Gnanou (Alania Vladikavkaz, Russia), Issa Gouo (ASFA Yennega), Bakary Kone (Olympique Lyon, France), Paul Koulibaly (Charleroi, Belgium), Robert Sankara (ASEC Abidjan, Ivory Coast), Mamadou Tall (Persepolis, Iran)
Midfielders: Wilfried Balima (Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldovia), Charles Kabore (Olympique Marseille, France), Mahamadou Kere (Konyaspor, Turkey), Mohamed Koffi (Petrojet, Egypt), Djakaridja Kone (Dynamo Bucharest, Romania), Jonathan Pitroipa (Stades Rennes, France), Florent Rouamba (Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldovia), Bertrand Traore (Chelsea, England)
Forwards: Aristide Bance (Samsunspor, Turkey), Moumouni Dagano (Al Khor, Qatar), Yahia Kebe (Al Kharitiyath, Qatar), Issiaka Ouedraogo (FC Admira Wacker Modling, Austria), Abdou Razak Traore (Lechia Gdansk, Poland), Alain Traore (AJ Auxerre, France), Narcisse Yameogo (AD Camacha, Portugal).
