Tunisia apologise to CAF, avoid 2017 AFCON ban

Tunisia have apologised to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for accusing the body of bias and in the process avoid been banned from taking part in the 2017 Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). 

The North African country made the allegations after losing in a controversial manner in the last AFCON to hosts Equatorial Guinea in the quarter-final.

The Tunisians were enraged after Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn awarded Equatorial Guinea a penalty few minutes to the end of the game which they converted. They eventually won 2-1 in extra-time.

At the blast of the final whistle, frustrated Tunisia players tried to attack the referee while their officials accused CAF of favouring the hosts.

CAF later banned the referee for six months for poor handling of the match and also threatened Tunisia football federation with expulsion from the qualifying rounds of the next AFCON if they did not receive an apologise by March 31.

Tunisia initially refused to do so and even lodge a protest with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which they have now agreed to withdraw.

CAF have, however, rejected their appeal against a $50,000 fine for the unruly behaviour of their players during the match.