By Andrew Warshaw
April 25 – Senegalese football has been thrown into chaos just as the country’s under-23 team bagged the final place at London 2012.
According to local reports, the bank accounts of the Senegal Football Federation (FSF) have been frozen in a dispute with former national coach Amara Traore (pictured above).
The state news agency quoted FSF President Augustin Senghor as saying the accounts were frozen by a court order on Monday (April 23), the same day Senegal beat Oman 2-0 in an Olympic play-off in Coventry to qualify for the Games.
Traore, who was fired after Senegal’s first-round exit at this year’s African Cup of Nations, is seeking $72,000 (£45,000/€55,000) in compensation and although the federation has been ordered to pay up, the monies have not yet been forthcoming, leading the courts to take action.
Senghor, who was in England to watch the team qualify for London 2012 and then attended Tuesday’s Olympic draw, said it could take time to regain control of the accounts.
“We cannot do anything, we have outstanding checks and we cannot make any financial transactions,” he was quoted as saying.
Senegal’s senior team is still without a coach after Traore was removed in February after losing all three games at the African Nations Cup.
Former coach Bruno Metsu, who led Senegal to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, is understood to be one of two candidates for the job along with ex-Cameroon coach Pierre Lechantre.
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