DR Congo: Racketeering and retro commission in U17 selection
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All original articlesQualified for the U17 AFCON, the Congolese selection has been stripped of several managers. Absences that occurred after the excellent qualification and finalist status of the UNIFFAC zone, which can be explained by financial reasons rather than sports: to enter the final list, some players had to agree to pay part of their bonus to the coach, Denis Makenga.
Beaten by Uganda for their opening match at the U17 AFCON, the Democratic Republic of Congo disappointed its fans who were eagerly awaiting the competition after the excellent course in the UNIFFAC area where they had simply lost in the final against Cameroon (2-0).
Disappointing on the field, the young Leopards suffer above all from the failure to summon several executives, including Captain Aristotle Bokeya. And if no explanation had been put forward by the coach, Denis Makenga, the reasons were in fact not at all of a sporting nature.
$500 out of 1,000 to give to the coach
Sport News Africa has collected various testimonies highlighting a system of racketeering and retro commissions within the U17 selection.
"I didn’t pay 500 dollars to get my place on the team, so I was rejected,"
explains a young man whose version has been corroborated by several people familiar with the situation.
Of the $1,000 bonus provided, half was to be paid to the coach, Makenga, who has established "a business" in the national team according to several players. Methods unfortunately still widespread on the continent (Madagascar having been a striking example recently), including the DRC where coaches select players according to financial interests.
While waiting for the rest of the competition against Côte d'Ivoire, the Leopards are continuing their training in a tense climate just days before the elections to the Congolese Football Federation, where Véron Mosengo-Omba was the only confirmed candidate.
And if the country is already preparing for the Senior World Cup, the U17 issue cannot be swept under the carpet given the serious consequences it can have for such a promising generation.
*Contacted, the Congolese Football Federation did not respond.