Guinea: a normalization committee to reframe football

Supporters of the Sily National of Guinea U20, in November 2019 at Nongo Stadium.

© Aboubacarkhoraa / Creative Commons

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

4 min

On November 29, the International Football Federation (FIFA) ordered the establishment of a Standardization Committee (Conor) at the Guinean Federation (Féguifoot) until June 2022, to restore order to Guinean football.

His challenges will be to lead the Féguifoot to new elections, to accompany the men's national team to the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon and to help advance preparations for CAN 2025 at home.

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Will the Guinean Football Federation (Féguifoot or FGF) finally experience a real long period of calm?

The International Football Federation (FIFA) decided to set up a Standardization Committee (Conor) there, five years after having already used this tool in Guinea.

In February 2017, Antonio Souaré was nevertheless elected president of the Féguifoot, following the work of the Conor in 2016. He thus succeeded Aboubacar Bruno Bangoura (2003-2011) and Salifou Camara called “Super V” (2000-2001, then 2011-2016), two presidents with equally agitated mandates. But, after a period of relative calm in 2017 and 2018, tensions resurfaced at the FGF. After the 2019 African Cup of Nations, the first vice-president Amadou Diaby had in fact been dismissed following allegations of racketeering within the national team A, before being reinstated following a procedure at the Arbitral Tribunal of sport. The businessman has since distanced himself from Féguifoot. As for Antonio Souaré, last April, he finally gave up running for a second term, in order to bring back a semblance of calm in the house.

The first therefore officially ended in March 2021. Since then, tensions have remained high in the Guinean football world.

In question, the war waged by the contenders for the succession of Antonio Souaré.

In May 2021, FIFA narrowly prevented the holding of an elective General Assembly.

She invoked dysfunctions in the electoral process.

In June 2021, a joint mission with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) came to see the extent of the problem in Conakry.

Several hot issues, including the CAN 2021 in Cameroon

After five months of waiting, FIFA therefore opted for a new Standardization Committee. Its mission is supposed to end on June 30, 2022. It has four members, including Mariama Diallo Sy (chair) and Sega Diallo (vice-chair). Its main task will of course be "to 

 " (FIFA).

But the members of Conor have other hot files on the table. They must in particular try to settle the “Didier Six file”. The now ex-coach of Sily National and the Féguifoot have yet to agree on the financial conditions of departure of the Frenchman, dismissed for lack of results during the qualifications for the 2022 World Cup. cost Guinea dearly.

At the same time, the Conor will have to decide on the fate of Six's successor.

The former striker Kaba Diawara, who led the Sily in November, will he continue his interim during the next African Cup of Nations (January 9-February 6 in Cameroon) with a reinforced staff?

Or will a new coach be appointed a few weeks away from a CAN 2021 during which the Guineans will face the Senegalese, Zimbabweans and Malawians (group B).

Remain attentive to the preparations for CAN 2025

In the longer term, the Conor will have to keep an eye on the preparations for the African Cup of Nations awarded to Guinea in August 2014. This was to take place in 2023. But it was postponed to 2025.

The Organizing Committee (COCAN) of CAN 2025 is currently studying the results of a call for tenders for the construction of the various stages of competition and training.

For the moment, Guinea has only one enclosure with international standards: the General Lansana Conté Stadium in Nongo.

The legendary September 28 Stadium must be rehabilitated.

The stadiums of Boké, Kankan, Kindia, Labé and N'zérékoré are not yet there.

However, Guinea has three and a half years left to be ready to host a 24-team final.

Maybe even less time if Cocan and CAF agree to bring the tournament forward to January / February 2025, in order to avoid the rainy season which generally prevails in June / July… The Conor will hardly be able to be so discreet than the Féguifoot has been on this highly important subject.

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