Original African cup of Nations trophy stolen in Egypt

African cup in Egypt. FILE

 

 

Police officers in Egypt are investing in circumstances where the Egyptian FA (EFA) found that several trophies have disappeared from its headquarters in Cairo, including an original African Cup of Nations.


Egypt won the prize after winning the 2010 edition of the tournament, so claiming that particular embodiment of the trophy for the third time.


The trophy, whose technique was initially used in 2002 after Cameroon were bestowed the previous cup having won it three times, was given to the EFA by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) after victories in 2006, 2008 and 2010.


On Friday, the EFA  whose media director affirmed the trophy's missing to the BBC - said it had opened an investigation into the loss of the various trophies.

After the EFA headquarters were raided in 2013, various trophies - including the Nations Cup - were taken to a storeroom.


However, local officials only scrutinised for them later after the resolution to refurbish the EFA's entrance so that Egypt's multiple football cups could be displayed there.


EFA was later stormed by angry fans seven years ago during a rampage in Cairo, now its focal point as officials try to conclude when and how the trophies were taken.

"The EFA is now investigating the trophies' disappearance to determine if those old trophies were saved after the building was burned ... or if they were lost when the building was exposed during this incident," the EFA added.


CAF laws state that a team that wins a particular embodiment of the Africa Cup of Nations trophy three times will own it for good.