The crisis within Gabonese football seems to persist, with reports suggesting that the scheduled elections for December 28 may be postponed. The Normalization Committee, established in April 2013 to address issues within the Gabonese Football Federation (Fegafoot), had the task of providing the organization with new statutes and texts. Despite achieving this goal and obtaining an extension of its mandate from FIFA in October, there are now indications of a further extension influenced by the Gabonese presidency.
The alleged motive behind the extension is to allow the presidency to impose a candidate for the elections in 2014. The candidate, nicknamed “the palace candidate,” reportedly does not meet the age requirement for eligibility (40 years old) but is expected to reach the required age in March of the following year. This situation has raised concerns among observers of Gabonese football, as it continues to delay the resolution of the crisis and the appointment of a new coach for the national team, following the dismissal of Paulo Duarte. The uncertainty has drawn criticism from star player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who expressed frustration with the lack of progress in Gabonese football.
