Madagascar: corruption and cronyism taint U17 squad selection

The only side in the tournament with 0 points, the worst defence (13 goals conceded in 3 matches) and the worst goal difference (-10), Madagascar's U17 team endured one of the worst campaigns in their recent history at this competition, organised by COSAFA, the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations.

Far from their usual standards, as their recent status as runners-up at the last CHAN would suggest, the Barea were thrashed by South Africa (5-1), Malawi (3-1) and Zambia (5-1). The performances were unworthy of this group, and a far cry from the tour of Morocco earlier in the year, when the young Malagasy players spent a month there at the invitation of Raja Casablanca and won all their friendlies against sides in their age group, the only defeat coming against U19s.

Jean-Marc Nobilo, then technical director of the Raja academy, was even impressed by the level of several prospects, explaining "that six or seven could immediately join a French youth academy". High praise from a man who has held similar roles at Auxerre and Le Havre, among others.

A coach under judicial investigation

Yet nothing remains of that promising training camp. An all-powerful president who hates being contradicted, Alfred Randriamanampisoa was interested in one thing only: "Making transfers!"

To that end, he wanted complete control of the team and so imposed Yvon Randrianarisoa, who was already present at the Moroccan camp and is under judicial investigation for demanding money from the young players' parents (€12 000) in order to select their children, while also promising to take them to a French club.

Entitled to the presumption of innocence, coach Yvon is above all the manager of Elgeco Plus, a club whose owner is none other than the president of the federation. As he does not hold the CAF A licence required to lead a national team at COSAFA, Yvon cannot be the official head coach of the U17s, an honour that goes to Mamonjisoa Ravalison, who holds the coveted qualification.

But the latter serves mainly as a front man for the licence, as the technical decisions are in reality taken by Yvon and the federation president, who remains fully committed to his quest for "transfers", an objective he has repeated to many people in recent months.

Sons of the coach and of executive committee members

If the technical staff was shaken up, the squad was turned completely upside down. Farewell to almost the entire old team (only three players remain), and welcome to plenty of newcomers whose parents have useful political connections.

Besides the son of coach Yvon, two youngsters with a parent on the federation's Executive Committee were called up, as was another player with a family link to the FMF president. While two prospects playing for the vice-president's club (AFC Ambiance) were logically summoned, what are we to make of the player with a family connection to a judge? It raises a question: were the youngsters picked on merit or on how well their parents are connected?

To complete the group, four players based in Europe were officially selected (three in France, one in Belgium). Even so, the federation did nothing to make life easier for the youngsters, who received their call-up on 20 August for a departure three days later!

Bogus age tests and plane tickets paid for by parents

Worse still, the FMF told parents it could not cover the plane tickets, even though it receives FIFA subsidies for that very purpose. Forced to find more than €1 000 at short notice for travel, families then had to pay another €200 for a bone test to prove the age of their children, who were born in Belgium or France.

Officially, the federation claimed that these youngsters had failed the first bone test, which had detected an "older age" than the one declared. "It was another way of taking more money ", sighed a disillusioned FMF member, who cited the example of one of Madagascar's best prospects, playing in Réunion, who was left out in favour of the son of an Executive Committee member...

Unanimously disgusted by the turn of events, several players no longer want to return to the national team, while many people within the federation itself have been deeply shocked by the methods used.

Already embroiled in several controversies, notably over a fight with a player in the local league and for frequently resorting to threats, president Alfred Randriamanampisoa has already turned his attention to the senior side's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, where they can hope to finish among the best runners-up and reach the play-offs.

As for the youngsters, humiliated at this COSAFA tournament, their future seems to interest nobody, least of all the big names of Malagasy football.

NB: when contacted, the federation did not respond to our questions.