CAF General Secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba, has resigned as the organisation’s turbulent period continues.
Senegal were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title earlier this month, with Morocco declared champions, due to Senegal’s team leaving the pitch in protest at the award of a late Morocco penalty which was ultimately saved.
Mosengo-Omba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, did not mention that issue in his resignation announcement but wrote: “I have decided to step down from my position as Secretary General of CAF to devote myself to more personal projects.
“Now that I have been able to dispel the suspicions that some people have gone to great lengths to cast on me, I can retire with peace of mind and without constraint, leaving the CAF more prosperous than ever.”
CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, told reporters at a news conference broadcast on the CAF’s YouTube channel that Mosengo-Omba had stood down to “help with football development within the Democratic Republic of Congo” following a request from the country’s President Felix Tshisekedi.
Motsepe added: “We are enormously grateful to Veron for his contributions and the work he did for the development and growth of African football.”
CAF’s Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, from Nigeria, has taken over the role on an interim basis and Motsepe said: “I’m confident that Samson will do a good job. Samson has started immediately and he will be leading us going forward.
“The vice-presidents will lead the process and report to me on the appointment of a permanent general secretary.”
Senegal won the AFCON final in extra time after the length delay before they were stripped of the crown — only to parade the trophy ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Peru in Paris.
A CAF statement on Sunday read: “The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) announced today that it is implementing changes and improvements to the CAF Statutes and Regulations that will strengthen the trust and confidence in the CAF referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“These changes and improvements will also ensure that the incidences that took place at the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 do not happen again.”
Motsepe, who will visit Senegal in the coming weeks to discuss the issue, said: “CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF Statutes and Regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field.
“We must also professionalise African referees and VAR operators and pay them well. CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices.
“What is also non-negotiable is our commitment and determination to treat each and every member association equally and fairly. Under no circumstances will any member association be treated preferentially or favoured above any other.
“The matters relating to the incidences that took place at the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 are before [the Court of Arbitration for Sport]. We will respect and implement whatever decision is taken by CAS.”–ESPN
