The statutory members of the Malian Football Federation meet this Tuesday. On the agenda of this assembly, which is dividing Malian sports players, is the election of the new president and members of the federation’s executive committee. Under the supervision of emissaries from FIFA and CAF.
The Extraordinary General Meeting of the Malian Football Federation (Femafoot), scheduled to take place this Tuesday morning from 09:30, is divisive. It will take place without the outgoing president, Mamoutou Touré, a candidate in his own succession, who has been under arrest since August 9.
Trial chamber declares itself incompetent
The Central Ethics Commission, composed of an Investigation Chamber and a Judgment Chamber, exclusively competent to investigate and rule on the conduct of persons to whom the FEMAFOOT Code of Ethics applies, has given its verdict. It declares itself incompetent to rule on the dispute concerning the eligibility of candidate Mamoutou Touré following his placement under a detention order. This appeal, lodged with it by candidate Salaha Baby, was the last one still pending at national level.
In addition, in its decision made public on Monday August 28 without giving any reasons, the judging chamber specified that the party wishing to receive the reasoned judgement could request it within 10 days.
Thus, the statutory members will, in principle, decide on the only list still valid in the event of an election.That of the outgoing Chairman, Mamoutou Touré.
According to the electoral code, it is submitted to the delegates’ vote. She is declared elected with the vote of more than 50% of the electoral quorum. In the absence of the required majority, a new elective meeting is called with a call for candidates.
The regularity of the meeting called into question for this ballot, scheduled for August 29, the voters called upon to re-elect the Chairman or not are the statutory members. According to the convocation sent out by the General Secretariat, these delegates number 81 and are allocated a total of 81 votes.
Abba Mahamane refutes this. “The convocation is irregular, the constitution of the assembly is a college, as described in the statutes of the Malian Football Federation, it is made up of 77 members (article 23 of the statutes).We believe that the college is also poorly constituted. In view of this irregularity, we believe that there can be no assembly capable of taking a decision binding on the Malian Football Federation”.
Decision 004 retained by the General Secretariat
For Abba Mahamane, the most palpable example is that for the past two years, the LCBA club has been chasing decision 004, which was handed down by a supposedly independent commission, the Election Appeals Commission. “Until now, the Secretary General has refused to notify this decision,” he reveals. And for him, this decision cancels the general meeting of March 2022, during which independent commissions were set up, notably the ethics commission.“These commissions do not exist under Decision 004. This means that all these commissions are ruling illegally,” he says.
Election day for FEMAFOOT
The CAF and FIFA emissaries overseeing the work of the Assembly on Tuesday August 29 are Maître Augustin Senghor (1st Vice-President of CAF), El Hadj Wack Diop (Regional Director of the FIFA office in Dakar), Ahmed Harraz (Senior Government Services Manager of FIFA), Mme Sarah Mukuna (Director of Member Associations of CAF), Mr Jean Jacques Diène (Head of Governance of CAF).
The Union des Anciens Footballeur du Mali (UNAFOM) and its Council of Elders met the candidates for the presidency of the Malian Football Federation (FEMAFOOT) in NTomikorobougou on Monday August 28, 2023.She called on both parties to prioritize dialogue, peace and cohesion for the good of Malian soccer. According to Sport New Africa, other authorized voices also called on the two opposing camps to reach a consensus. This option also failed to materialize.
All eyes are now on the Bamako International Conference Center, where the meeting is due to be held.
