DHAKA, Mar 30 (V7N) — In a major shakeup for African football, Veron Mosengo-Omba has resigned as the Secretary General of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). His departure follows a period of intense pressure, internal criticism, and a high-profile controversy surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.

Mosengo-Omba’s exit is largely tied to the fallout from the January final in Rabat, where Senegal was sensationally stripped of its title. Despite Senegal winning 1-0 in extra time against hosts Morocco, CAF later overturned the result and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory. The decision was based on a rule regarding team walkouts; several Senegalese players and staff had briefly left the pitch in protest after a late stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco. Although the team returned and finished the match, CAF’s appeals body ruled the initial walkout as an automatic forfeit.

The outgoing Secretary General had also faced mounting scrutiny over governance and personal conduct. Members of the CAF Executive Committee had raised questions regarding his continued tenure past the organization's mandatory retirement age of 63—Mosengo-Omba is currently 66. Additionally, he had been the subject of investigations by Swiss authorities and internal auditors over alleged financial misconduct and suspicious payments. While Mosengo-Omba maintained his innocence and described his departure as a "retirement to focus on personal projects," analysts suggest he had become "cornered" by the dual weight of the AFCON crisis and the corruption allegations.

The football world is now looking to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a final resolution. Senegal has officially appealed the decision to strip them of the trophy, and the Senegalese national team recently made a bold statement by parading the AFCON trophy and wearing jerseys with two stars during a friendly match in Paris.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has confirmed that the organization will respect and implement whatever final ruling is delivered by CAS. In the interim, Motsepe has appointed Samson Adamu, a Nigerian-born CAF official and current competitions director, as the caretaker General Secretary to lead the Cairo-based organization through this transition.

END/SMA/AJ