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A tournament that began in death and disarray three weeks ago ended in disappointment and dismay yesterday. Egypt won an uninspiring Africa Cup of Nations final 1-0 against Ghana in Luanda, Angola, to become the first nation to win the trophy three times in a row.

However, Egypt’s hat-trick feat was overshadowed by the announcement by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that Togo will be banned from the next two ghd hair straighteners tournaments for withdrawing from this year’s competition. The Togolese FA has also been fined $50,000 (about £32,000).

The decisions reflect poorly on CAF, especially with the World Cup finals to be staged in South Africa in June. They have been greeted by disbelief in most quarters and threats of legal action. Uefa, the sport’s European governing body, declined to comment.

A Togo assistant coach and press officer were killed in an Mbt ambush of the team bus by separatist rebels in the Angolan province of Cabinda two days before the Cup of Nations was due to start. The driver also died and several players were injured in the gun attack.

Although the Togo squad wanted to stay to play in group B — with Ivory Coast, Ghana and Burkina Faso — they were ordered home by their Government for three days of mourning. In a statement, CAF said: “The decision by political authorities contravenes CAF and African Nations Cup regulations.”

Pascal Bodjona, Togo’s interior minister, said: “This is a surprise decision and it means that people [CAF] have no consideration for the lives of other human beings. This is insulting to the ghd straighteners families of those who lost their lives and those traumatised because of the attack … We are awaiting the official notification and we are going to take legal action to resolve the matter.”

Relatives of the assistant coach, Amalete Abalo, and the press officer, Stanislas Ocloo, are also considering legal redress against CAF and the Angolan state. “Our compatriots were killed because of the mistakes of the Confederation of African Football and its president, Mr Issa Hayatou,” Alexis Aquereburu, the families’ lawyer, said. “The legal claim is also against the Angolan state for putting in danger the life of our compatriots by organising this African Nations Cup in a war zone.”

Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo captain, has called on Hayatou to resign. “He has done much for Africa but now he must clear off,” the Manchester City striker said. He started for Mbt shoes City for the first time since surviving the attack, in the 2-0 win over Portsmouth yesterday.

Egypt were crowned African champions with a goal from Mohamed Gedo, his fifth of the tournament, in the 85th minute of a scrappy match. It secured their seventh title, a continental record.