Togo will be suspended from the next two editions of the African Nations Cup after the African Football Confederation (CAF) condemned the governmental interference that led to their withdrawal from this year's tournament. The Togolese were subject to a horrific attack on their team bus in Cabinda on January 8, which killed an assistant coach, a press officer and the bus driver. Following discussions with the country's government, the team decided to return to Togo for a mourning period. Togo had then considered re-entering the tournament, but were ordered not to by the government. The Sparrow Hawks were officially disqualified from the tournament after failing to play their group stage match against Ghana. According to a CAF statement, it was the recall that violated their laws and resulted in a ban for the next two tournaments. "The players publicly expressed their willingness to return to the Nations Cup to compete. But the Togo government decided to call back their national team," the statement reads. "The decision by political authorities contravenes CAF and African Nations Cup regulations. The executive committee therefore has banned Togo from the next two African Nations Cup and fined the Togo FA 50,000 U.S. dollars." Meanwhile, Issa Hayatou, president of the CAF elaborathed: "The Executive Committee (CAF) has suspended Togo for two African Cup of Nations. It is a statutory sanction. There was an interference by the Togolese government, and that we can not accept." Source: Goal.com