untitled design

Ivory Coast: the president of the Football Federation is gone

 

The news fell on Saturday night. Violent and sudden. The president of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) Augustin Sidy Diallo has died at the age of 61, a vice-president of the organization, Omer Déhoulé, told Agence France-Presse. “President Sidy Diallo has passed away. I come from his place ”, he reacted, saying“ dejected ”.

Ivorian football in mourning

The FIF announced in a press release on November 9 that Augustin Sidy Diallo had been diagnosed positive for Covid-19. He had not accompanied the group during the two matches against Madagascar as part of the CAN 2021 qualifiers. However, no indication of the cause of death was given immediately.

Patrice Beaumelle, former assistant to Hervé Renard and recently installed as coach, shared his distress on social networks. “I don’t have a word, I’m overwhelmed. My prayers go out to your family, your wife, children, friends, as well as the whole football family. Too early, unfair. Rest in peace, President Sidy, I will miss you, ”he wrote on Twitter.

“The Ivorian, African and world football family has just lost one of its sons,” tweeted former Ivorian star player Didier Drogba, who is running for the presidency of the FIF.

 

The Ivorian, African and world football family has just lost one of its sons.
Thank you for all President, very few will understand but Rest in Peace.
My sincere condolences to the family pic.twitter.com/56JiWK6Qxn

– Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) November 21, 2020

 

“We are devastated by this sad news which shocks the entire football world in Côte d’Ivoire,” reacted Ivorian international Yaya Touré on Facebook.

Copa Barry, a former international, has also spoken publicly: “On this day of meditation, we pray for the rest of your soul. Yako to all the ex-teammates who knew him, yako to all your collaborators, yako to all of Côte d’Ivoire. I have a deep thought for his family. Yesterday you were like us. Today, you join Tioté. Tomorrow we will be like you. Such is life. ”

Bonaventure Kalou did not say anything else: “We spend our time hating each other, conspiring against each other. What is life after all? A big mirage until our hour arrives. Rest in peace, President Sidy, beyond our differences, there has always been respect, kindness and sympathy in our relations. Thank you for everything, my type, may God welcome you to his holy paradise. ”

For his part, the international Serge Aurier remembers the words of the former president of the FIF. “Take care of your guys, you are my children, I love you all, I want the best for this team!” I believe in you ! Even sick, you still wanted to be with us, I don’t have the words or much to say, except thank you for everything! Rest in peace, President. May Allah accept our prayers and welcome you into his kingdom. ”

Beyond the Ivory Coast, the reactions are unanimous: “Faced with death, it’s hard to say: it’s incredible! Just overthrown by the death of Augustin Sidy Diallo, president of the FIF! A simple, jovial and competent man, an African champion with his Elephants. Condolences to his natural and athletic family. RIP Homo! »Tweeted Augustin Senghor, Senegalese football boss.

Sidy Diallo, passion for football to the end

Businessman, CEO of Ivosep, a funeral director, Augustin Sidy Diallo was above all passionate about football. His passion will lead him to join the Stella Club d’Adjamé as a staff member and sponsor, reveals his biography. With this club, he won the Union Cup of West African Federations (Ufoa). From 1991 to 1994, he held the post of vice-president of the Ivorian Football Federation. This experience was sanctioned by the first coronation of the Elephants at the Senegalese CAN in 1992.

Elected president of the FIF in 2011, then re-elected four years later, he won the CAN 2015 in Equatorial Guinea after 23 years of famine. In nine years of presidency of the FIF, Sidy Diallo will have marked Ivorian football by winning two African Cups of Nations, one with the seniors in 2015, the other with the cadets in 2013, and Côte d’Ivoire participated in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but was eliminated in the first round.

Sidy Diallo had decided not to run for a third term, even if the texts of the federation allowed him to do so. He was to leave his post last August, but since the day-to-day affairs, FIFA having suspended the electoral process to appoint a successor, after the rejection of Didier Drogba’s candidacy. The 41-year-old former Ivorian national team captain was the first to announce his candidacy late last year, but the FIF has been experiencing a crisis surrounding the succession of the outgoing president for months, which sees each other, in addition to Drogba, Sory Diabaté and Idriss Diallo.

You may also like

Get the latest

Stay Informed: Get the Latest Updates and Insights

 

Most popular