Pape Diouf in 2014, when his candidacy for mayor of Marseille was announced. - CLAUDE PARIS / AP / SIPA

  • Pape Diouf, president of OM from 2005 to 2009 died on Tuesday of Covid-19.
  • Pape Diouf ran for mayor of Marseille in 2014 with “Changer la passe”, a citizen and politicians movement disappointed with their party.
  • Other presidents of OM had already run for elections, but this was not originally Pape Diouf's ambition.

Pape Diouf, a president of a football club like no other, Pape Diouf, a candidate for mayor of Marseille like no other. The world of sport and that of politics are often porous, as shown by Bernard Tapie, president of Olympique de Marseille, then candidate for legislative and European elections. Pape Diouf, who died on Tuesday evening of the Covid-19 while he was being repatriated to France, was also president of OM, from 2005 to 2009, before running for mayor of Marseille in 2014.

“This is something quite banal, other presidents of OM have run for elections like Tapie, but also Marcel Leclerc before him. OM is a club with great media visibility. There is a junction with local economic and political networks. This position offers social capital, it offers opportunities, ”says Ludovic Lestrelin, sociologist and author of The Other Audience of Football Matches - Sociology of“ distance supporters ”of Olympique de Marseille.

"Oh no, not a soccer player"

However, Pape Diouf did not seem to make the post of mayor of Marseille a goal in his career. His candidacy is actually an opportunity he could not refuse, he the man of conviction.

Kaouther Ben Mohamed, a militant citizen in Marseille, was trying to create a dynamic citizen, with disappointed politicians of their party, in view of the municipal elections of 2014. She remembers: “It's been a while since we met, but it didn't not take. We needed a personality to embody this movement. We thought of Imothep from the IAM group, but it was not possible. Some people mentioned Pape Diouf, I said to myself "oh no, not a soccer player", I was very skeptical. When we met him, I was very impressed by his listening skills and his ability to synthesize. He managed to collect everyone's ideas by giving importance to each statement. "

I remember #PapeDiouf during the municipal meetings in #Marseille. In Nov 2013, on the verge of switching into political life, he made his first appearance with the collective Le Sursaut. A small place, canapes, tea: he had chosen the Busserine district (14th). pic.twitter.com/2kNmmiMzr5

- Raphaël Tual (@raphtual) April 1, 2020

The first contact took place in September 2013, but Pape Diouf did not formalize his candidacy until five months later, on February 2, 2014. A declaration of candidacy was far from being taken lightly. "He took his time. He was a very measured person, he did not make any hasty decisions. He was very thoughtful and that is why he had so much meaning, ”says Kaouther Ben Mohamed.

"Me at 17, I dreamed"

“Pape Diouf had a real peculiarity, he did not come from traditional economic circles, that of construction contractors in particular. He was not a boss, he did not come from traditional economic circles like most of the presidents of professional clubs ”, explains Ludovic Lestrelin.

His political struggle, he led it in the image of his little academic career path, and his convictions. “Our spearheads at the time were the schools, Pape Diouf knew the importance of education. He had books from all over the place. He wanted to reduce inequalities in Marseille. He said to me "I was 17 when I dreamed, today we no longer dream in these abandoned neighborhoods", she says.

Michèle Rubirola, who led the first round in Marseille with the Printemps Marseillais this year, was with Pape Diouf in the “Changing the Deal” adventure in 2014. “It was a wonderful, fantastic adventure. We ended up with the desire to break away from mafia and clientelist practices. We went to meet the citizens to build the project with them. He was very well received by the young people from the neighborhoods who felt rejected, they trusted Pope. He had managed to build that trust, ”she recalls.

Hope for all of Africa

Pope Diouf wanted to instill hope in minorities. "One day he said to me" You know Michèle, young black people come to get them to play soccer, and they play very well. But there are very few coaches or club president blacks. That's where it doesn't go ", says Michèle Rubirola.

Pape Diouf is the first person I voted for in my life. I was 18 it was for the municipal in Marseille
This shows the confidence I had in this gentleman

- kolère (@Mario_Rlk) March 31, 2020

This is also the reason why his candidacy in Marseille was followed up to Africa. “It was a hope for all of Africa, not just Senegal. A postman was climbing the ladder and could become mayor of the second city of France, a city which has a history with colonization. People wanted to believe that it was finally possible without going to the hustle and bustle, ”recalls Kaouther Ben Mohamed.

Convictions which will push him to go and confront the FN where he is strongest. Yet living in the 7th arrondissement of Marseille at the time, a sector that was rather favorable to the left, Pape Diouf did not hesitate for a second to come face to face with Stéphane Ravier. “He was a novice in politics but did not lack courage. He said "I'm going to fight the FN, I'm black, I have visibility, that's my role". He was new to the candidacy, but he had a huge political culture, "considers Kaouther Ben Mohamed.

A hope that will only give birth to a score slightly higher than 5%. “This failure is quite revealing of what can happen in politics for a sports leader. We can clearly see that this very strong notoriety brought by the function is difficult to convert in the political sphere. Especially since Pape Diouf lacked support in decisive economic circles, ”considers Ludovic Lestrelin.

"Yes today I am rich, and I will not hide it"

A disappointing score, but one that allows it to merge with other lists. And on this ground also Pape Diouf will stand out from “political tricks”. “Most wanted to merge to get a job. If we started without a political party, it was to embody something else, we were addressing the abstainers. We could not save a few positions while still disgusting the Marseillais, ”she explains.

“I don't want to get into political games. On the ground people said to me: "You are like the others. Tomorrow you will use the pretext of the FN vote to ally yourself with them." I want to show them that this is not the case. People who vote FN have their reasons. These are not good reasons, we must show them that they are wrong, but not by doing what they denounce ”, was justified at the time Pape Diouf.

No cheating, no scheme, no arrangement, Pape Diouf was and remained himself. As this anecdote during the 2014 campaign proves. While Pape Diouf is in the northern districts at the wheel of his big 4x4, one of his top names suggests that he rather rent a van. "He had the honesty to remain himself without pretense. He replied "yes today I am rich, and I will not hide it. People will see that they too can succeed", "smiles Kaouther Ben Mohamed.

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