Djibouti football power struggle puts funding and international status at risk
Police intervention in a disputed attempt to remove Djibouti football federation president Souleiman Waberi has prompted warnings over international suspension and development funding amid allegations of financial misconduct.
The Djibouti football federation has appealed to FIFA and CAF after police occupied its headquarters during an attempt to remove president Souleiman Waberi, escalating a governance dispute that could affect international participation and development funding.The confrontation follows growing opposition from clubs and investigations into alleged financial irregularities, with concerns also raised over the delivery of infrastructure projects supported by the international governing bodies.An unnamed contractor involved in the projects said: “We pass on the information but nothing happens. The money has gone missing, the projects are never finished – or if they are, it’s just a bare-bones version – and nobody says a word. It breaks my heart for the young people who just want to play football.”The federation said police entered its national technical centre on October 4 without presenting an administrative document or court order, before a larger contingent returned the following day and instructed Waberi, executive committee members and staff to leave.According to the federation, 16 club presidents subsequently entered under police escort and held an extraordinary general meeting, which it rejected on the grounds that statutory notice periods and procedures had not been followed.Those supporting the meeting maintain that the required number of delegates attended and unanimously voted to remove Waberi and his executive committee, before appointing an interim committee to oversee the federation.The disagreement centres partly on membership calculations, with a coalition of 27 clubs initially claiming sufficient support to request an extraordinary assembly, while the federation insisted that 45 of its 67 members were required.The government subsequently intervened, with secretary of state for sport Fatouma Ali Abdallah ordering the federation to convene an extraordinary general assembly within 72 hours.The federation has warned that the removal of elected officials using state security forces could constitute interference, potentially exposing Djibouti to suspension, exclusion from international competitions and a freeze on development programmes and funding.Waberi, who sits on the FIFA Council and CAF executive committee, has denied wrongdoing amid investigations into suspected embezzlement and money laundering, with reports indicating that he and other officials could face charges this week.A government inspection previously identified weaknesses in procurement, cash management and financial controls, alongside concerns over third-party payments, unpaid salary taxes and alleged misuse of cash payments totalling almost £500,000.FIFA and CAF together provide more than US$1m annually to the federation, supporting projects including the Douda academy and artificial pitches in Arta and Dikhil, although tender procedures and unfinished construction have come under scrutiny.Waberi has maintained that FIFA’s monitoring found no indication of wrongdoing involving its disbursements, while the federation’s appeal leaves the disputed leadership change and potential consequences for funded programmes before FIFA and CAF.