Crisis at the Guinean Federation: the scheming of the secretary general

How far will the FGF sink? After the brief presidency of Bouba Sampil, dismissed by his own Executive Committee for issues of equipment embezzlement and financial opacity, his successor, Sory Doumbouya (appointed as the most senior vice-president in accordance with the statutes), did not manage to ease the tensions.

Isolated, the president made a series of unilateral decisions and was even accused of trying to recruit a player for his club (Milo FC) by promising him a place on the national team. Miraculously saved by the FGF Ethics Commission despite compromising audio recordings, Doumbouya in no way controlled a federation drifting both financially and in sporting terms.

Influencing the upcoming electoral process

Having been brewing for a while, Mamadou Alpha Hann’s resignation plunged the Executive Committee into an irregular position according to the FGF statutes since the minimum number of members is no longer met.

Exasperated, the Ministry of Sports issued a statement recalling its support and willingness to provide assistance within the framework of the rules established by FIFA, while warning that it “will assume its responsibilities as conferred by the laws of the Republic in order to protect the interests of Guinean football.”

Amid this turmoil, the influential secretary general Ibrahim Barry, aka Blasco, is trying to play his cards right with an eye on the upcoming elections which must take place within a period of forty-five days to three months.

To influence the electoral process and the eligibility of candidates, Blasco wants to dissolve the various legal commissions in order to replace them with people more favorable to his cause, who could block potential opponents.

What will FIFA do?

Enjoying the support of several Executive Committee members who wish to see vice-president Mohamed Barry take over the presidency, Blasco nonetheless does not have the unanimous backing of the ExCo, much less the delegates who will cast votes in the upcoming election.

His backstage maneuverings, which have been exposed for a little while now, therefore raise questions at a time when FIFA privately claims to be “fed up” with Guinean affairs.

Tasked with handling current affairs under the statutes, the secretary general hopes to maneuver as he wishes with a FIFA that has made a series of poor decisions with the FGF since Sampil’s election. The question remains whether it will still be gullible enough not to see through the hidden interests of various parties now during this structural crisis.