AFCON 2015: Diafra Sakho Hits Back at Senegal FA Over Injury Controversy
By BBC Sport Africa | January 29, 2015
Senegal striker Diafra Sakho has broken his silence amid mounting criticism from fans and officials in his home country, following his absence from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations due to injury.
Sakho, who was ruled out of the tournament with a back problem, came under fire after appearing in a Premier League match for West Ham shortly after being declared unfit for international duty. The incident sparked accusations from the Senegalese football public and technical staff, suggesting the player had put club before country.
In an emotional response, the former FC Metz forward defended his integrity and accused Senegal’s football authorities of neglecting him during his recovery.
“I was seriously injured while playing for the national team,” Sakho said. “When I returned to England, I received treatment from my club. But no one from Senegal ever contacted me to check on my condition.”
According to Sakho, West Ham made efforts to communicate with Senegal’s technical team, but the outreach went unanswered.
“My coach at West Ham even called the national team staff and asked them to come and see me, to avoid any misunderstanding. But nobody came,” he explained. “The last time I heard from anyone was on January 5th, when coach Alain Giresse called. Since then, there has been complete radio silence.”
Sakho, who has enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Premier League, made it clear that he was not pressured by his club to skip the tournament. “West Ham never forced me not to go. I did everything I was supposed to do. My conscience is clear,” he insisted.
The controversy comes as Senegal perform strongly at the tournament in Equatorial Guinea. The Lions of Teranga have made a solid start to their AFCON campaign and are on course to reach the quarter-finals, despite the absence of one of their star forwards.
However, the dispute has reignited long-standing tensions between European-based African players and their national federations, particularly around communication, trust, and injury management. Sakho’s case has once again highlighted the need for better coordination between clubs and national teams.
While Senegal continue their pursuit of continental glory, Sakho remains sidelined and frustrated, not just by injury, but by what he perceives as a lack of respect and transparency from his country’s football leadership.
