Oumar Solet cleared by FIFA after Cote d’Ivoire federation reverses decision

Cote d’Ivoire defender Oumar Solet has been granted immediate eligibility to represent the national team by FIFA, less than 24 hours after the Federation Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) said he would miss both matches against Gambia.

The FIF confirmed on Friday 13 November that the single judge of the FIFA Players’ Status Chamber had approved Solet’s change of association. The decision means the defender can now be selected for future fixtures involving the Elephants.

However, the ruling came too late for Solet to feature in the first match of the double-header, which Cote d’Ivoire won 2-1 in Bouake on Thursday 12 November. The defender had been called up by manager Herve Renard but was not available for the game.

The situation prompted criticism from supporters after the federation issued two conflicting statements within a day.

In its first communique, published on Thursday, the FIF said Solet would not be able to play in either match against Gambia. It explained that his application to change international association was still being assessed by FIFA and that no final decision had been communicated to the federation.

The FIF had also indicated that a response might not arrive until after the November international window. Its second announcement, issued on Friday, confirmed that the application had instead been approved.

Speaking to Fraternite Matin after the victory, Renard said he had been waiting for FIFA’s decision before the match.

“Unfortunately, I waited until 16:00 on Thursday to receive a negative response from FIFA,” the Cote d’Ivoire manager said, adding that he would have liked to use Solet.

Cote d’Ivoire have depth in defence, but the circumstances still led to disappointment among supporters who had hoped to see the player in action. Solet’s call-up had been viewed as a notable addition to the squad.

On Facebook, the Soutien aux Elephants account accused the federation of “amateurism” and questioned what assurances may have been given to Renard before Solet was selected.

The account also criticised the decision to bring in a professional player without official confirmation of his eligibility, pointing to the logistical and financial consequences of the episode.

The swift change in position has nevertheless highlighted a difficulty that regularly affects African national teams. FIFA approval for a player changing international association can sometimes take longer than expected, leaving federations uncertain over whether a player will be available during an international window.