"I saw your president. He agreed, but he doesn’t want you to know." On the phone, Kokou Toulassi, president of FC Espoir, leaves no doubt.
In the fight for survival – his club is currently 14th and last with two points behind the first non-relegable -, he addressed himself directly to the coach of AS Binah, Théophile Bola, 11th with three points ahead on the first relegable and a favorable goal difference. Citing the agreement with the honorary president of AS Binah, Sébastien Pré, he adds: "He said that all this must remain between us."
«Firmin called me. He told me that I should leave the match preferably by 2-0»
This weekend, a large audio of about ten minutes circulated in the microcosm of Togolese football. The discussion between Kokou Toulassi and Théophile Bola provoked strong reactions in private since the few articles were immediately subject to threats and reprisals.
If the coach of AS Binah never mentions his direct action to arrange a match, the words of the president of FC Espoir are very clear, as are the names mentioned in the arrangement maneuvers. "We saw each other at the level of First Vice-President Amah," he says, referring to Amah Aklisso, the First Vice-President of the Togolese Football Federation.
If no details have been given regarding his potential involvement, another influential member of the FTF, Firmin Ajavon, is directly targeted for his participation in the manipulation of meetings.
"Firmin called me and told me that I should leave the match preferably by 2-0," said coach Bola. Ajavon, vice-president of Gbohloe-Su, is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Togolese Football Federation and president of the Regional Maritime Football League.
The Federation does not wish to comment on allegations
If the audio recordings leave no room for doubt, mainly concerning the president of FC Espoir, the politician Kokou Toulassi, and the honorary president of AS Binah, Sébastien Pré, other gray areas exist, notably on the role of a certain David. "He goes to the presidents, he takes the money to make it seem that he is the one who decides," explained Toulassi. "You must not talk about it with anyone."
If the full identity of David is not yet known, this recorded conversation illustrates the unpleasant scullery of Togolese football. "The federation does not wish to comment on allegations, situations mentioned or cite natural or legal persons in the absence of officially established evidence, completed procedures or decisions rendered by the competent bodies," sweeps the director of communication of the FTF, Aristide Kuevidjin, following requests from Sport News Africa.
Claiming to be committed to "transparency", the federation does not wish for the moment to open any official investigation while two of its members, notably Firmin Ajavon – close to president Guy Akpovi -, are mentioned in an audio recording leaving little room for doubt.
While waiting for the last day of the championship, the plan to save FC Espoir at the expense of Gomido FC or AS Otr could well be the beginning of a wave of much more important revelations concerning a practice known to all but long forgotten.
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Philemon MBALE
Rédacteur sportif
Passionné de sport depuis toujours, partage avec vous les dernières actualités et analyses du monde sportif.