London, Jan 14(ANI): Ivory Coast skipper Didier Drogba said that has spoken to Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor at length and fully understands the reason behind their decision to quit the African Nations Cup.
Drogba said that he was shocked by the assault by a rebel group on the Togo team bus in host nation Angola, which left three dead.
"Emmanuel is my friend and I support him and the rest of the Togo team's decision. They needed to go home to mourn the death of their fellow countrymen, and they need to try to deal with it and get through what they have seen," The Sun quoted Drogba, as saying.
"As sportsmen and human beings we have to show solidarity. It is upsetting they have been forced out.
But it is impossible for them not to be affected by what they have seen. Football is important, but when you compare it to human life it has no significance at all," he added.
Drogba has also vowed to defy the terrorists and make the tournament a success.
"The tragic event has left us shattered, but now we have to let sport unite us all. To call off the African Nations Cup would be to admit defeat. It would give these people a victory. It now becomes so much more important than football. It becomes a tournament of respect to those who were killed and injured," Drogba said.
"We won't forget what happened to Togo, but now the competition has started we all need to focus on the games. My team, the Ivory Coast, had a difficult start against Burkina Faso. After the terrible events of a few days ago, it was difficult to concentrate," he added. (ANI)
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