Abdoul Karim Cisse was included in Kamara’s 27-man preliminary squad but he has now withdrawn after national team doctors assessed him at their training camp in Chantilly, France.
The keeper’s situation was summed up in a letter addressed to ASEC by the Ivorian Football Federation.
“Abdoul Karim, selected for the preparation of the Afcon 2019, arrived in Chantilly on 30 May from Abidjan,” the letter indicated.
“However, following the injury he contracted at his club on April 28th during the semi-finals of the Ivorian Cup, the national team’s medical staff deemed it necessary to carry out the usual medical check before the start of the training camp.
“The MRI performed for this purpose on May 31, 2019 revealed the following; the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee, the rupture of the posterior horn of the external meniscus and degenerative lesions in fissure of the posterior horn of the internal meniscus.
“To this end, he was found unfit to practice competitively because of the injuries.”
Cisse was named the best goalkeeper for the 2018/19 Ivorian Ligue 1 season after his remarkable performances for the title winning ASEC.
Kamara’s initial squad had four goalkeepers – with one of them meant to drop out in the final squad anyway – so it remains to be seen if a replacement will be called up.
The Elephants have been drawn in Group E and will start their tournament against South Africa on June 24 before facing Morocco and Namibia on June 28 and July 1 respectively.
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