Togo's football authorities have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over their ban from the next two Africa Cups of Nations.

The ban was imposed after Togo pulled out of the recent tournament in Angola.

Their withdrawal came in the wake of the fatal gun attack in which two members of the Togo party were killed.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) say the Togolese Prime Minister's insistence that the team came home amounted to 'government interference'.

The head of the interim committee running Togolese football, General Seyi Memene, said that a panel of lawyers had been appointed to deal with the case - headed by the president of the Togolese Bar Association.



Two members of the Togolese party were killed in the attack
He said the suspension imposed by Caf should be put on hold whilst the case is heard - although that has not yet been confirmed by either the court or the confederation.

General Memene is also a vice-president of Caf but he denied that there was any conflict of interest in his position.

"First of all I am Togolese, so I pray to God that this sanction is lifted," he said.

General Memene was appointed by football's world governing body Fifa in January to try and resolve the disputes which have divided the Togo Football Federation.

When they imposed the two tournament ban, Caf said the Togo players had wanted to continue playing in Angola, but were forced to return by their country's government.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/8512230.stm