CAF general-secretary quits amid turbulent times for African football

Confederation of African Football (CAF) general secretary Veron Mossengo-Omba resigned on Sunday after repeated calls for his removal and at a turbulent time for the game on the continent.

His resignation comes as the CAF said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.

President Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies but did not give concrete details.

One change he did announce on Sunday is that the competition will be increased to 28 teams from 24. 

Motsepe said it was evidence of his organisation's "commitment to world-class football with the best African players from all over the world returning to compete on the continent."

But he did not explain how the format will work with four extra teams, nor when it would be implemented.

Mossengo-Omba said he was retiring with his departure coming amid a crisis of confidence in the organisation's leadership, and a growing fallout over the decision to strip Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations title along with calls for an investigation into alleged corruption at African football's governing body.

There has been a swell of recent criticism of his staying on as general secretary well past the organisation's mandatory retirement age of 63, largely on social media but also from members of CAF's executive committee.

"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," Mossengo-Omba said in a statement.

"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.

"I sincerely thank the CAF's President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, my teams, and all those who, directly or indirectly, have enabled CAF and organised African football to make real and remarkable progress. Let us hope that the progress made will last and be sustained," he concluded.

ACCUSED OF CREATING TOXIC ATMOSPHERE

Mossengo-Omba has been a divisive figure at CAF, accused by some employees of creating a toxic atmosphere at the workplace, although an investigation after staff complaints cleared him of any wrongdoing.

The 66-year-old is of Congolese origin but a Swiss citizen and former FIFA employee who was a university friend of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Although he said he was retiring, Mossengo-Omba is expected to run for the post of president of the Democratic Republic of Congo's football federation in elections in the next months, sources told Reuters.

If successful, that would thrust him into contention for CAF's top job should Motsepe resign to enter politics in his native South Africa, where he is being touted as a possible successor to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Motsepe has, however, denied this.

Earlier this month, Motsepe admitted CAF was struggling with questions over its integrity and, in the wake of the Cup of Nations final controversy, Senegal's government has called for an international investigation into the running of the organisation.

Stripping Senegal of the Cup of Nations title was a decision made by CAF's Appeals Board but as a result there has been a heavy toll on the image of the African game.