African football federation president Issa Hayatou has exclusively told CNN that Togo were not disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations but were granted permission to leave . The Togo squad flew back home from Angola on January 9 after three of their travelling party were killed and two players seriously injured by a machine-gun attack which occurred as their bus crossed the border into the northern , oil-rich state of Cabinda two days earlier . It had initially been first thought that Togo had been disqualified after they failed to show for their first group game against Ghana on Monday . But Confederation of African Football ( CAF ) president Hayatou has since confirmed to CNN that they had not been expelled from the tournament but were granted special dispensation . `` Togo was n't disqualified - I want to tell you that Togo was n't disqualified . Togo left the competition following the tragic events that the delegation went through , '' Hayatou told CNN . `` Because of what happened the Togolese delegation did n't have the morale or the conscience for them to participate in the tournament . `` We tried to convince them to stay and that life continues after all and that we share their sorrow and suffering . `` We completely understand what happened . The players wanted to stay but the government for their reasons did n't want the Togolese to stay so they left . `` CAF did everything possible to make sure that the Togo team stayed here for the Africa Cup of Nations . We acted and they left . `` Contrary to whatever you are saying they did n't get disqualified . They are the ones who decided to leave which we consented to . There is a difference . `` We would have wished them to stay . We would have wished them stay . We have done everything to possible so that Togo stays . `` They could n't stay . The players wanted to stay but the political authorities did n't want the delegation to stay . '' Group B has now been reduced to three teams : Ghana , Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso . Angolan authorities have arrested two people involved in the attack , state media reported , while goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale remains in a stable condition in a South African hospital but needs a ventilator as he recovers from being shot . Hayatou also defended CAF 's handling of the incident and , in particular , criticism about the amount of time they took to respond . He added : `` When we were told that Togo was attacked we immediately stopped our meeting that we were organizing . We are in Luanda and they were attacked far away ! `` We organized ourselves to go see them and this was done quickly for us to help our Togolese brothers . But people who say that we acted very late . I think that it is not right for the press to say so . `` On behalf of the federation , we managed that incident , not just the incident but the tragedy , with lots of tact and lots of honesty , and lots of courage . `` The incident happened ; everyone should have taken his own responsibility . ''
CAF president Issa Hayatou has exclusively told CNN that Togo were not disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations . Hayatou insisted CNN had not been expelled from the tournament in Luanda but were granted dispensation . Togo flew home on Monday after two of their travelling party were killed and two players seriously injured by a machine-gun attack .