The 2015 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) could see Ivory Coast absent if the government does not provide the 3.5 billion CFA francs requested by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) for the national team’s preparation. This tense situation was revealed by Alain Lobognon, Minister of Sports, via his official Twitter account.
The conflict centers on the FIF’s plan to hold the Elephants’ preparation camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, a choice justified by Pierre Gondo, FIF spokesperson, who emphasized the superior training conditions there and the opportunity to organize quality friendly matches against teams like Ghana and Nigeria. However, the requested budget of 3.5 billion CFA francs is viewed as excessive by the ministry.
According to Minister Lobognon, the government is willing to finance the competition to the tune of 300 million CFA francs—a fraction of the FIF’s request. The ministry has asked for this amount to be formally communicated in writing and continues discussions with the federation. Gondo expressed hope that an agreement would eventually be reached.
Despite this, the government appears firm against what it perceives as blackmail, with Lobognon questioning the consequences of an Ivory Coast withdrawal on national peace and demanding transparency in the federation’s management of funds.
Ivory Coast faces a challenging Group D at AFCON 2015, alongside Cameroon, Mali, and Guinea. The looming financial dispute casts uncertainty over their participation in the tournament.
