Femafoot split over Ibenge
Internal power struggles at the Malian Football Federation are jeopardising the chances of Florent Ibenge becoming head coach
Sport News Africa · Author profile ·
Listen to this story
Audio version in preparation · read aloud by your browser meanwhile
The revelation by Sport News Africa that Florent Ibenge is a candidate has caused considerable turmoil within Femafoot. With the federation physically without its president, Bavieux Touré, who has been in prison for ten months over allegations of embezzlement of public funds, a degree of uncertainty has set in, not to mention internal rivalries.
Read more on the subject: Florent Ibenge in negotiations with Mali
Against this backdrop, first vice-president Moussa Sylvain Diakité has therefore led the discussions with Florent Ibenge's representative on his own. This Monday, a meeting was scheduled in Paris to move the matter forward. For his part, Diakité told his colleagues at the federation that his trip to France was related to family matters.
Accused by several members of the executive committee of "going it alone" on this matter after the lead involving Florent Ibenge was made public, the first vice-president has been forced to rein in the talks with the Congolese coach and his Belgian-Moroccan representative. Will it go as far as consulting the whole of Femafoot to reach a joint decision?