The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Veron Mosengo-Omba, has resigned amid a chaotic period for football in Africa.
In his resignation statement, Mosengo-Omba emphasized that he was retiring, coming at a time when the organization faces backlash over the decision to remove Senegal as the host of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the eleventh-hour postponement of the women's tournament. These events have exacerbated crises within the governing body.
During his tenure, Mosengo-Omba has been under scrutiny for his leadership, especially regarding the recent title controversy. '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,' he stated.
The 66-year-old faced criticism for remaining in a position that had a mandatory retirement age of 63, and while some employees alleged a toxic work environment, an investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.
Assuming the role of acting general secretary will be CAF's competitions director, Samson Adamu. The resignation comes at a critical moment as the organization awaits the verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) on Senegal's appeal against being stripped of their Afcon title.
Senegal is contesting the Caf's decision that overturned their victory against Morocco in the Afcon final earlier this year. Following a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco during the match, Senegal ultimately secured a win, only to have the match results overturned by Caf after Morocco's appeal. The fallout from this decision continues to impact the reputation and authority of the Confederation of African Football.
