Véron Mosengo-Omba, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) general secretary, has resigned following sustained calls for his removal and amidst a crisis of confidence in the organisation's leadership. His departure comes as the controversy surrounding the decision to strip Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title continues to escalate, with growing demands for an investigation into alleged corruption within African football's governing body.
In a statement, Mosengo-Omba described his departure as a retirement, stating: 'After over 30 years of an international professional career dedicated to promoting an ideal form of football that brings people together, educates, and creates opportunities for hope, I have decided to step down from my position as secretary general of Caf to devote myself to more personal projects.' He added that he could 'retire with peace of mind' after dispelling 'suspicions' cast upon him.
The 66-year-old had faced increasing criticism for remaining in his role past the mandatory retirement age of 63, with accusations of creating a toxic workplace environment, though an investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing. A Congolese-born Swiss citizen and former Fifa employee, Mosengo-Omba has been a divisive figure at Caf.
Although he says he is retiring, Mosengo-Omba is expected to run for the presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo's football federation in upcoming elections. If successful, he could later contend for Caf's top job should President Patrice Motsepe leave to pursue a political career in South Africa, though Motsepe has denied such plans.
The fallout from the Afcon final controversy has hit Caf hard, with Senegal's government calling for an international investigation into the organisation. Caf has confirmed that its competitions director, Samson Adamu, will serve as acting general secretary.
