Guinea: Football federation president Bouba Sampil removed from office by unanimous vote
Guinean Football Federation president Bouba Sampil was removed from office on Tuesday by a unanimous vote of the executive committee
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A bombshell has landed at the Guinean Football Federation (FGF). Tuesday 8 April 2025 promised to be explosive for Bouba Sampil, and the surprises kept coming. In the evening, the executive committee officially removed him from his post as president. The decision was unanimous, taken at an ordinary meeting with seven members present and seven votes in favour of ousting him.
A string of affairs
The removal stems from a motion of dismissal brought by Mamadou Barry, FGF vice-president with responsibility for women's football, among other duties. In an official letter to the executive committee, he relied on article 40, paragraph 1, of the federation's statutes to call for the president's departure.
The motion sets out a series of serious grievances, including:
- Refusing to account for the use of 500 million Guinean francs received as donations at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN).
- Refusing to provide the documents relating to the purchase of a radio and TV station intended for the FGF.
- A lack of transparency around the contracts of the national technical director and the general secretary.
- Non-transparent management of the 1.2 million dollars from the FIFA Forward programme.
- Awarding the contract for renovating the FGF headquarters unilaterally, in breach of procurement rules.
- Allegations of visa trafficking, interference in referee appointments and match-fixing.
- Finally, an administrative style judged to be one-man rule, with no consultation with the relevant bodies.
On top of these failings come several ongoing cases, including a complaint for embezzlement and abuse of power. Sampil is also caught up in a scandal over Syli National kit that was allegedly diverted to benefit his club, AS Kaloum, as revealed by Sport News Africa.
Read also: Guinea: Syli National kit diverted to benefit the FEGUIFOOT president's club?
Transition in place, pending the General Assembly
Given the situation, the axe has fallen on Sampil, who has been sidelined. The executive committee has handed the interim presidency to Sory Doumbouya, chairman of the board of Milo FC, until the General Assembly scheduled for 8 May 2025. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has been officially informed of the decision.
"The Executive Committee of the Guinean Football Federation has provisionally removed its president, Aboubakar Sampil, at a meeting held on 8 April 2025 by unanimous vote (7/7). This decision, based on major failings (lack of transparency, poor governance, inappropriate financial practices), was initiated by Mamadou Barry, one of the vice-presidents," the official statement says.
Bouba Sampil hits back
The man at the centre of it all is vigorously contesting his removal. In an initial reaction, Bouba Sampil denounced the procedure as illegal and vowed to take the matter to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). "Any decision coming out of this meeting is illegal. I refuse to comply with it. We will go all the way to CAS. Everyone knows me, I'm a tough nut," he said on leaving the meeting, also pointing to alleged interference by the Sports Ministry. It is safe to say this saga is far from over.