AFCON 2023: DR Congo-Mauritania at Mazembe, the story behind a U-turn

Popular outcry has ended up overturning the governing bodies' decision. Originally set to be played in Cameroon, the match between DR Congo and Mauritania in the 3rd round of AFCON 2023 qualifiers will now be staged on Congolese soil after all. With the Stade des Martyrs not approved, the Congolese football federation, through its general secretary Belge Situatala, had announced the Stade Japoma as the venue for this game. The decision provoked an outcry among Leopards supporters, and even some players such as Yoane Wissa, while the Stade de Mazembe is approved. Owned by TP Mazembe, the ground looked the obvious fallback option.

Read more on the same subject : AFCON 2023 qualifiers: Wissa outraged by the relocation of DR Congo's matches

To justify moving the match to Cameroon, the federation said one of the reasons was a request from the head coach, Sébastien Desabre. The French coach reportedly preferred a natural pitch to Mazembe's artificial surface. "On 10 February, the DR Congo head coach, Sébastien Desabre, contacted us to explain that if CAF did not lift its decision not to approve the Stade des Martyrs, we had to opt for natural grass rather than artificial. Because the majority of the players in the senior squad perform better on natural turf. And in the region, it's Cameroon that has such a pitch", said Belge Situatala when announcing the relocation of the fixture.

Sébastien Desabre contradicts FECOFA

Desabre has torn that version of events apart. At the centre of criticism after those statements, the coach broke his silence to deny the claims. In a letter to the members of the Congolese football federation, which has since been leaked, the former Niort manager made clear that his first choice was the Stade de Mazembe. If the game could not be played there, then his second option would be a modern stadium with a natural pitch. People close to the French coach say he was surprised to learn he had been named as the reason behind the decision to relocate.

Each side is passing the buck over who is responsible for the relocation, much to the dismay of DR Congo supporters and followers of the national team. Former Congolese international Herita Ilunga despairs at the situation. "What is going on around this match is very murky. There has been a lack of transparency around the federation for years. The mere fact that the general secretary says the federation is "working very well" and then points the finger at the coach, saying he didn't stand by his choice, proves it. It's as if they weren't talking to each other. Even over his suspension, it's chaos. Sadly, I think there was no consultation at all and that this decision to go and play in Cameroon was taken unilaterally by the general secretary. It's a scandal. It highlights all the failings of this federation", he told Sport News Africa.

A political choice more than a sporting one?

Within the corridors of the Congolese football federation, few want to speak on a subject that seems to be heightening tensions. And with good reason: according to inquiries with some members who spoke on condition of anonymity, the initial decision to move DR Congo-Mauritania to Cameroon was also allegedly political. The only ground in the country approved by CAF to host international matches, the Stade de Mazembe belongs to TP Mazembe. That club is none other than Moïse Katumbi's. A former governor of Katanga province, the businessman has been in politics for several years already and is expected to stand in the presidential election in December 2023. An opponent of the current government, in short.

"Taking the Leopards to play in an area where he is very popular, with a crowd likely to be on his side, could lead to hostile demonstrations against President Félix Tshisekedi and his government", one source says. "And then it would be a sort of defeat for the State, in front of him, as he has the only approved stadium. They would have to make a request to him to play there". Herita Ilunga finds those arguments meaningless. "We already played there last year and it went well. If you can play at home, you go, you don't have a choice", insists the former Saint-Etienne defender, who continues: "I'm certain the decision doesn't even come from the head of state, but from those around him. In your view, which political camp is the general secretary in? It's no coincidence. But they realised it was the worst of decisions. It's the logical continuation of everything that has happened over the last two years. Since Constant Omari left, it's been a disaster. Yet you can criticise him for plenty of things, but this is even worse."

Ilunga calls on FIFA

Faced with the scale of the backlash over the relocation, the Congolese football federation ended up doing a U-turn and settling on the ground in Kamalondo. It is a relief for DR Congo supporters, who will get to see their team at home against the Mourabitounes. But that is not enough to placate Herita Ilunga, for whom this episode is the final straw and shines a little more light on the federation's running of Congolese football. He even calls on FIFA to step in. "In the end, what has happened is no longer surprising given the environment. The international bodies need to take responsibility, as was the case in Guinea or Kenya. Time must be called on the messing about to save what can still be saved. Even the clubs no longer want to play in the league", he reminds us.

While this episode will leave its mark, the Leopards must quickly regroup and turn their attention to the pitch. After two rounds of these AFCON 2023 qualifiers, DR Congo have two defeats (against Gabon and Sudan, and sit bottom of their group with no points on the board. The upcoming double-header against Mauritania, who top Group I, therefore looks decisive. After missing AFCON 2021, another failure to qualify for a finals, and one with 24 teams at that, would look bad.

🇨🇩🏟The match will indeed take place in the capital of Haut-Katanga#Sna #RDC #Lumumbashihttps://t.co/9nNu2MvGgc

— Sport News Africa (@snewsafrica) February 23, 2023