Lamine Diack, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), criticized the Senegalese government’s approach to football matters in an interview with the newspaper l’Observateur. Diack expressed disapproval of the government’s tendency to call for resignations following poor football performances, describing it as “heresy” and “bullshit.”
Diack, who has held various prominent roles in Senegalese sports administration, highlighted the frequent changes in ministers and instability in the aftermath of poor football performances. He emphasized that losing a football match should not lead to frequent changes in ministerial positions.
Regarding the collaboration between the government and the football federation, Diack suggested that the sports movement should not be at the disposal of the state whenever it wants. He pointed out that the responsibility of the federation is to prepare for and win qualifications.
Diack also commented on the issue of hiring a coach, stating that it is up to the state to decide on financial allocations and whether bringing in an expensive coach would yield positive results. Finally, he defended Augustin Senghor, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), suggesting that sacrificing him to please the Confederation of African Football (CAF) would be a poor decision.
Please note that these statements reflect Lamine Diack’s opinions, and opinions on sports matters can vary widely.
