Governing Bodies
Pressure Mounts on CAF General Secretary as Exco Member Questions Mandate
Calls for the removal of the Confederation of African Football’s General Secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, have intensified after a member of CAF’s executive committee publicly challenged the legality of his continued stay in office.
Samir Sobha, who also serves as president of the Mauritius Football Association, said Mosengo-Omba is “occupying the seat illegally” and should step aside. His remarks, first reported by The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom, add to concerns previously raised by Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana.
Sobha argued that Mosengo-Omba, 66, no longer holds the position legitimately under CAF’s employment regulations. According to Regulation 130 of CAF’s employment handbook, 63 is the compulsory retirement age for staff, with the possibility of a single three-year extension granted at the discretion of the president or the general secretary.
Mosengo-Omba was appointed general secretary in March 2021 at the age of 61. He turned 63 in October 2022 and was subsequently granted a three-year extension by CAF president Patrice Motsepe. That extension, Sobha contends, expired on 15 October 2025.
“As per the statutes, he is occupying the seat illegally right now,” Sobha was quoted as saying. “I don’t think that the SG is in any legal position to make decisions, to sign a document. I’m pleading with the president to rectify this position. We need to respect the statutes.”
He added that a decision should be taken swiftly to ensure the appointment of what he described as a “full-fledged and legitimate general secretary,” claiming that several African FA presidents share his view that Mosengo-Omba’s mandate has lapsed.
When asked about the matter following CAF’s executive committee meeting last Friday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Motsepe declined to provide specific details, stating: “Retirement is governed by our rules and regulations. We deal with those things not just in accordance with legality, but also with governance. We will take the best decision as CAF, concerning employees.”
Sobha, however, maintained that corrective action is necessary. “Patrice Motsepe is a very good person; that’s my personal opinion. But it happens that things are not going in the right direction. Some issues need to be fixed,” he said.
Mosengo-Omba was absent from the Dar es Salaam meeting due to what was described as an urgent family matter in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sobha said he would have raised his objections directly had the general secretary been present.
In a separate but related development, Sobha also addressed the controversy surrounding last month’s Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, where Morocco lost 1–0 to Senegal after a disputed penalty decision led to a temporary abandonment of play.
The Mauritian official apologised to Morocco for what he described as “a great injustice,” arguing that competition rules were not properly applied when Senegal’s players left the field before play resumed.
“I’m not saying we should not give the trophy to the Senegalese team. What has happened has happened already. We can’t change it,” Sobha said. “But we should put our ego aside and agree that an injustice has been done.”
His comments further underline growing tensions within CAF’s leadership ranks at a time when the organisation is facing renewed scrutiny over governance, regulatory compliance, and match officiating standards.
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World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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