Togo: Federation hands long bans to officials over match-fixing allegations

The Fédération Togolaise de Football has handed down heavy disciplinary sanctions against two senior football figures following a match-fixing investigation linked to the final stretch of the D1 Lonato season.

The decision follows months of inquiry triggered by leaked audio recordings allegedly pointing to attempts to influence a crucial relegation battle in the closing stages of the 2025–26 campaign.

The case has been widely viewed as one of the most sensitive integrity scandals in recent domestic football history.

At the centre of the ruling is Kokou Toulassi, president of FC Espoir, who has been banned from all football-related activity for six years and fined 500,000 CFA francs (about 900 US dollars).

The federation’s disciplinary commission found him guilty of involvement in attempted manipulation of match outcomes.

Also sanctioned is Théophile Bola, head coach of AS Binah, who received a five-and-a-half-year suspension alongside the same financial penalty.

He was also cited for conduct deemed damaging to the image of the federation in connection with the controversy.

The investigation was launched after audio recordings circulated within football circles, allegedly capturing discussions about influencing results in matches that had direct implications for relegation survival.

The federation’s disciplinary panel later concluded that the evidence was sufficient to establish wrongdoing by the two officials, while stopping short of overturning match results on the grounds that no definitive proof showed the alleged scheme was fully executed on the pitch.

Despite the seriousness of the sanctions, the governing body opted to maintain all results from the affected fixtures, citing a lack of conclusive evidence that the integrity of the matches themselves had been decisively compromised.

The case has intensified scrutiny on governance and integrity safeguards within Togolese football, with stakeholders calling for stronger monitoring mechanisms to prevent similar controversies in future seasons.