Governing Bodies
From prison to the throne: Jailed candidate set to win Mali FA elections
This Tuesday, a football election like few others will take place in Mali when the one-and-only candidate, the current president of Mali’s football federation (Femafoot), looks set to win a four-year term from a prison cell.
Mamatou Toure, widely known as Bavieux, is currently in jail in the Malian capital Bamako as he awaits trial after being accused of embezzling funds during his time as a financial and administrative director in Mali’s National Assembly.
The 66-year-old, who has led Femafoot since 2019, is a member of both the Fifa Council, the board of football’s world governing body, and the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
He is also the sole candidate for the elections after being the only one of four men to pass an eligibility test, which he managed to do prior to being indicted on 9 August by the Malian state for “attacking public property as well as forgery and use of forgery and complicity”. Along with four others, Toure is accused – in charges that all deny – of embezzling a reported US$28 million from the state purse.
Toure is a former tax inspector with a master’s degree in auditing. The charges against him cover a period between 2013 and 2019, when the five representatives of the then ruling RPM (‘Rassemblement pour le Mali’) party were in power, and which largely pre-date Toure’s election as Femafoot president in August 2019.
On the eve of Tuesday’s elections, BBC Sport Africa can highlight a series of financial gaps that have taken place within Femafoot under the administration of Toure. While hundreds of thousands of dollars remain unaccounted for, so several of Mali’s national team trainers have complained about going unpaid for many months.
Financial questions
An audit conducted into Femafoot’s finances of 2022, conducted by the Pyramis group and dated March 2023, which has been seen by the BBC, shows that Femafoot did not pay any taxes to the Malian state regarding its employees.
“Femafoot deducted taxes and duties from staff salaries for a total amount of CFA 23,9m [just under $40,000],” the audit stated. “Femafoot did not declare or pay these taxes and duties.”
The tax failure was not new, since an audit into Femafoot’s financial affairs of 2020 (covering January-September) had also found it did not pay the country’s inland revenue ‘all the tax deductions it retains on salaries paid to its staff’. That same 2020 audit (conducted by the Cabinet Ficogec group) also stated that key financial and management reports had gone missing.
In addition to the tax issue, the March 2023 audit showed that nearly $50,000 were awarded to unspecified ‘other parties’ without any reason given nor any approval agreed by Femafoot’s board for the payments – in direct contradiction of the body’s statutes. When sports equipment was sold for just over US$300,000, US$138.5k was registered in Femafoot’s account and US$144k was paid – in cash – to MK Productions, the company reported as providing the sports kit, so leaving US$22k unaccounted for.
Without receiving documents relating to the sales, with the auditors citing no inventory not itemised sales, Pyramis declared themselves ‘unable to comment on the correct valuation of the sports equipment sales’. The BBC can find no record for a sports company called MK Productions within Mali – where the only-registered company with that name works in media, not sportswear.
The questions raised in the 2023 audit follow a theme from 2022, when a document signed by 44 Malian football officials – nearly all of whom were presidents of clubs, including some of the country’s top sides – also raised several financial concerns.
One of these was how Femafoot spent nearly US$1.25m in the final quarter of 2020, despite none of this being presented to the federation’s executive committee for approval (while also questioning why this quarter was not covered by Cabinet Ficogec’s 2020 audit).
Addressed to Mali’s then political rulers, the document also queried what Femafoot had done with the $790,000 it received from Caf regarding the country’s participation at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, money that should have been refunded to the Malian government since the latter finances the country’s national football teams.
Finally, no financial report has been presented to Femafoot’s general assembly, where all its members gather, for the past three years, which contravenes Fifa statutes. The BBC has sent questions regarding all the financial issues outlined above to Femafoot but has yet to receive a response.
Sole Candidate
Despite the serious pending charges against him, Toure is the sole candidate for Tuesday’s Femafoot presidential election – after three others failed to pass the eligibility test. One candidate, former Femafoot media spokesperson Salaha Baby, did initially pass, but Toure successfully appealed his eligibility to rule him out of the race.
“The disqualifications of our candidacies follow a multitude of fanciful procedures by the armed arms of the Femafoot president,” Sekou Diogo Keita, a former vice-president of Femafoot, told BBC Sport Africa.
“Why is no one taking any action? The only candidacy validated is the one of someone actually jailed.”
Keita, who has written to Fifa to complain about the ongoing process as well as Femafoot’s financial affairs, is currently serving a five-year ban issued by the Malian football body in 2022 on charges he describes as politically-charged. Meanwhile, Femafoot has failed to answer a question about showing bias towards its current president when asked by the BBC.
Toure’s would-be rivals have appealed his eligibility – arguing, among other matters, that he should have declared the pending state investigation into him when filling out his eligibility form for the Femafoot post.
“Are you currently the subject of a disciplinary, criminal or civil procedure or investigation?” asks one of the questions on the Femafoot eligibility form.
Toure’s rivals believe he either failed to accurately answer the above question or simply did not fill in any form.
On 15 August, Baby formally wrote to sport’s highest court, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, to appeal against Toure’s candidacy and request the reinstatement of his own.
“Being a member of the Fifa Council cannot spare Mamoutou Touré from the good governance protocol established by your body,” wrote Keita to Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura.
In response, Fifa – which is sending emissaries to oversee Tuesday’s vote, as are Caf – said it “has been closely following the electoral process”.
“Any dispute concerning the electoral process should follow the established legal procedures,” the governing body added. “Please note that all Fifa Forward projects undergo an annual central review by Fifa.”
-BBC
The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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Governing Bodies
Countdown Rule Introduced To Crack Down on Time-Wasting in Substitutions and Spot Kicks
Global football’s law-making body, The International Football Association Board (IFAB), has approved a landmark package of reforms aimed at protecting effective playing time, reducing time-wasting and strengthening disciplinary oversight ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The decisions were taken at IFAB’s 140th Annual General Meeting (AGM), chaired by Mike Jones, President of the Football Association of Wales, during celebrations marking the FAW’s 150th anniversary.
The reforms, which will apply from the 2026/27 season and be implemented at the 2026 World Cup and other competitions, respond to growing calls across the football community for measures that preserve match tempo and reduce deliberate disruption.
Five-Second Countdown for Throw-Ins and Goal Kicks
Building on last season’s amendment preventing goalkeepers from holding the ball for excessive periods, IFAB has extended the countdown principle to throw-ins and goal kicks.
If a referee judges that a restart is being deliberately delayed, a visible five-second countdown will begin. Failure to put the ball back into play within that period will result in possession being awarded to the opposing team. In the case of a delayed goal kick, the sanction escalates to a corner kick for the opposition.
The measure is designed to eliminate a common time-management tactic frequently deployed late in matches.
Strict Timelines for Substitutions
To further streamline match flow, substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed or the referee’s signal being given.
Players who exceed that limit must still exit immediately, but their replacement will not be allowed to enter until the next stoppage after one minute of running clock time has elapsed — effectively discouraging slow exits intended to run down the clock.
Mandatory One-Minute Absence After On-Field Treatment
Under another significant change, players who receive on-field medical assessment — or whose injury prompts a stoppage — must leave the pitch and remain off for at least one minute once play resumes.
The rule aims to curb tactical injury interruptions while still safeguarding genuine medical needs.
IFAB also approved further trials to assess goalkeeper-related tactical injury delays and explore deterrent options.
VAR Protocol Expanded to Include Second Yellow Cards
In a notable development for officiating, IFAB expanded the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol.
The VAR will now be permitted to review:
- Red cards resulting from a clearly incorrect second yellow card;
- Mistaken identity cases where the wrong player is cautioned or sent off;
- Clearly incorrectly awarded corner kicks, provided the review can be completed immediately without delaying the restart.
The move addresses longstanding criticism that second cautions — unlike straight red cards — were previously outside VAR review scope, despite their decisive impact on matches.
IFAB also confirmed continued trials of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and ongoing development of FIFA-led Football Video Support (FVS).
Amendments to the Laws of the Game 2026/27
The next edition of the Laws of the Game, effective 1 July 2026 (with early adoption permitted), will introduce further clarifications and adjustments:
- Law 3: Senior ‘A’ international friendlies may now allow up to eight substitutes, expandable to eleven by mutual agreement.
- Law 4: Non-dangerous equipment will be permitted if safely covered.
- Law 5: Referee body cameras (head- or chest-mounted) may be used at competition discretion, with organisers controlling footage.
- Law 8: Clarifies that a dropped ball will be awarded to the team that would likely have retained possession.
- Laws 10 & 14: Formal incorporation of guidance on accidental “double touch” penalty incidents.
- Law 12: Where advantage is played for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity and a goal is scored, the offender will not be cautioned.
Focus on Discriminatory Behaviour and Player Protests
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, IFAB agreed that further consultation will be undertaken to develop tougher measures against discriminatory conduct.
The board will also examine scenarios where:
- Players leave the field collectively in protest of refereeing decisions;
- Players cover their mouths while confronting opponents — a practice viewed as undermining transparency.
A Forward-Looking Agenda
The AGM, attended by representatives from FIFA, The FA, the Scottish FA, the FA of Wales, the Irish FA and IFAB administration, signals what officials described as a decisive effort to modernise the sport.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, IFAB’s reforms represent one of the most comprehensive tempo-focused overhauls in recent years — an attempt to ensure that football remains faster, fairer and more resistant to manipulation of time.
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Governing Bodies
Infantino marks 10 years as FIFA President, hails reforms and global expansion of the game
Gianni Infantino has marked the 10th anniversary of his election as FIFA President by declaring that “we have brought football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football,” while thanking the organisation’s 211 member associations for their support over the past decade.
In a letter sent to the presidents of all 211 member associations, Infantino reflected on his election at the Extraordinary Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, on 26 February 2016, recalling that FIFA was facing a crisis that threatened its very existence at the time.
“By voting for me, the FIFA Congress chose to chart a new path forward built on reform, transparency and development,” he wrote. “I believe we have successfully brought football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football. And we have done so together.”
Infantino stressed that unity between FIFA and its Member Associations had been central to the organisation’s transformation.
“It is therefore with a great sense of unity that I would like to extend my deepest thanks for your work, your dedication and, of course, your unwavering support in making this possible and for your role in bringing FIFA back to football over the last 10 years,” he said.
Describing FIFA as “the glue that binds the footballing pyramid and the wider footballing ecosystem together,” Infantino underlined the importance of a strong and trusted governing body for the continued growth of the sport.
“A strong, trusted and unified FIFA is not only desirable, but also in fact necessary for our sport to continue to flourish,” he added. “Although we live in a world marked by division and conflict, football is still the great power that unites us all.”
Key achievements highlighted
In his message, the FIFA President outlined 11 major achievements since 2016, beginning with increased financial support to Member Associations through the FIFA Forward Programme. Introduced in 2016, funding to MAs has increased sevenfold, with associations empowered to determine how best to invest in football development within their territories.
He also pointed to the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, designed to ensure that every young player has the opportunity to develop regardless of financial background or geography, alongside enhanced capacity building in administration, finance, infrastructure, medical services, safeguarding and women’s leadership.
Infantino noted greater involvement of Member Associations in decision-making through FIFA Executive Summits and newly introduced Standing Committees, as well as reforms aimed at boosting transparency, including annual accounts delivered under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and clearer bidding processes for major tournaments.
On the field, the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in 2018 — now implemented in 83 Member Associations — was cited as a key step towards greater fairness. FIFA has since introduced VAR Light and Football Video Support to widen access to video technology. In 2024, all 211 MAs also unanimously backed a Global Stand Against Racism initiative.
Infantino further highlighted expanded playing opportunities across competitions. The FIFA World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, while the FIFA Women’s World Cup grew to 32 teams in 2023 and is set to expand to 48 from 2031. More than 1,700 women’s development projects have been delivered across 204 Member Associations.
Youth competitions have also been broadened, including the expansion of the FIFA U-17 World Cup for both boys and girls and the introduction of a new festival-style FIFA U-15 Youth World Cup open to all 211 MAs.
The letter referenced relief measures during times of hardship, notably the COVID-19 Relief Plan, which made USD 1.5 billion available, emergency disaster funding via the FIFA Foundation, and a post-conflict recovery fund approved in December 2025 to support football communities affected by war.
At club level, Infantino highlighted the historic first 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, the new FIFA Women’s Club World Cup planned for 2028, and the launch of annual intercontinental competitions and an expanded FIFA Club Benefits Programme.
Concluding his message, Infantino reiterated his gratitude to Member Associations for “keeping the best interests of football at heart,” expressing confidence that a united global football community would continue to drive the sport’s growth in the years ahead.
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