In brief
Veron Mosengo-Omba, the general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has announced his resignation amidst a turbulent period for football on the continent. His departure comes on the heels of the decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and postpone the women's tournament at the last minute, which has left CAF facing a crisis of confidence. Mosengo-Omba mentioned in his resignation statement that he is leaving amid various controversies, while the CAF awaits a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding Senegal's appeal against the title forfeiture.
The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Veron Mosengo-Omba, has resigned during a chaotic period for football in Africa. In a recent statement, he announced his retirement amidst the fallout over CAF's decisions to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title and the last-minute postponement of the women's tournament. These events have plunged the CAF into a crisis of confidence.In his resignation statement, Mosengo-Omba alluded to the controversies faced during his tenure, stating, Now that I have been able to dispel the suspicions that some people have gone to great lengths to cast on me, I can retire with peace of mind and without constraint, leaving the CAF more prosperous than ever. At 66 years old, Mosengo-Omba has faced criticism for remaining in his position past the organization’s mandatory retirement age of 63, and he has been accused by some employees of fostering a toxic work environment. Although inquiries into staff complaints cleared him of any wrongdoing, the controversies have not subsided.Originally appointed in March 2021, Mosengo-Omba's departure happens as CAF's competitions director, Samson Adamu, is set to take over as acting general secretary. The French-run organization is awaiting a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding Senegal’s appeal against being stripped of their Afcon title after a controversial match against Morocco.In that game, Senegal's players protested against a stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco. Upon returning after a lengthy delay, Morocco missed the penalty, leading to Senegal's eventual victory in extra time. However, after an appeal by the Moroccan FA, CAF controversially reversed the decision, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and stripping Senegal of the title.
