Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has insisted that Edo Queens should not be held responsible for the controversy that led to the annulment of their WAFU-B Women’s Champions League final victory, stressing that the team simply followed the instructions of the match officials.
Enabulele made the position known while featuring on an AIT Sports programme, where he spoke extensively on the controversy surrounding the September 5 final between Edo Queens and Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The statement, signed by Edoko Wilson Edoko, Special Assistant on Media to the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, was dated Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Edo Queens had defeated Ampem Darkoa 4-1 on penalties after the match ended 2-2 in regulation time and were subsequently presented with the WAFU-B trophy and medals.
CAF later annulled the penalty shootout, ruling that the final should have proceeded to two 15-minute periods of extra time before penalties, in line with Article 72.4 of the competition regulations. CAF consequently ordered the match to resume from the 2-2 scoreline.
Enabulele described the decision as shocking, arguing that Edo Queens should not be punished for an administrative error they neither caused nor requested.
“Of course, it was shocking news. The news was unbelievable. We didn’t expect that from CAF at all,” he said.
He recalled that the final had been delayed by severe weather conditions, with the scheduled 7pm kick-off eventually taking place at about 9pm.
According to him, during the match, officials informed both teams that should the encounter end in a draw, the winner would be decided directly through penalties.
Enabulele stressed that neither Edo Queens nor Ampem Darkoa objected to the instruction, adding that the Nigerian champions subsequently participated in the shootout in accordance with the directive of the match officials.
He also pointed to tactical substitutions made by Edo Queens towards the closing stages of the match as evidence that the team was preparing for the penalty shootout it had been told would determine the winner.
Edo Queens eventually prevailed 4-1 on penalties and were declared champions.
However, following a protest by the Ghana Football Association on behalf of Ampem Darkoa, CAF ruled that the required extra time had not been played.
Enabulele said CAF’s decision acknowledged that neither participating club was responsible for the procedural error.
“Edo Queens has not been found guilty of wrongdoing. Even the letter that they sent to us stated that Edo Queens has not done anything wrong, neither the other team from Ghana. But this was purely an administrative error,” he said.
He questioned why Edo Queens should bear the consequences of an error they did not commit.
“The referee took instruction from higher administrative authority,” Enabulele said, noting that the officials and administrators involved in the competition were appointed through CAF structures.
He also rejected suggestions that the final was inconclusive, insisting that the match had been completed on the field and Edo Queens had been declared winners after the penalty shootout.
While acknowledging that CAF’s regulations prescribed extra time before penalties in the event of a draw, Enabulele said the circumstances raised questions about the appropriate remedy where match officials themselves failed to implement the prescribed procedure.
He disclosed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had already lodged an appeal against CAF’s decision.
The NFF appeal challenges the annulment of Edo Queens’ 4-1 penalty-shootout victory and argues that the Nigerian champions merely complied with the instructions issued by the match officials.
Enabulele said Edo Queens were prepared to pursue every available avenue to defend their position.
“We know that we have a very good case,” he said.
He added that should the matter proceed beyond the CAF Appeals Board, the Nigerian side was prepared to pursue the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
On the possibility of another encounter between the two teams, Enabulele maintained that the status quo should remain until all available channels of dispute resolution have been exhausted.
Despite the controversy, he said Edo Queens had remained focused on preparations for the main CAF Women’s Champions League.
He disclosed that the team had commenced preparations for the new season and was currently in Bayelsa State for a pre-season tournament, with the players determined to maintain their strong performances while the appeal process continues.
Enabulele also confirmed the return of Coach Moses Aduku following his national assignment, while players who had been away on national duty had rejoined the squad for pre-season preparations.
With the NFF appeal now before the CAF Appeals Board, Enabulele said Edo Queens would continue to pursue the matter through the appropriate channels while remaining focused on securing more victories.
