© Reuters 2002

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Togo club Sara de Bafilo have been banned from African club competition for three years after failing to arrive for their African Cup Winners' Cup match in Equatorial Guinea earlier this month.

The Togolese Football Federation has also been fined $1,500 following Sara de Bafilo's belated withdrawal from the competition, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Saturday.

Sara de Bafilo missed a match against Atletico Malabo in a preliminary round, first leg tie on February 3, after being unable to arrange a flight in time for the trip to Equatorial Guinea.

Atletico now progress to next month's first round where they will face Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya.

A three-year ban is now standard for all clubs who enter African club competitions but then fail to honour the fixtures. The measure was introduced four years ago in a bid to stamp out a spate of withdrawals from the three annual African club competitions by clubs citing financial constraints.