During the executive committee meeting of the African Football Confederation, tensions ran high and scores were settled. Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation, and his Algerian counterpart Walid Sadi openly criticized the controversial refereeing of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
On Friday, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the meeting turned into a full-blown trial against Olivier Safari Kabene, head of the referees’ committee. Several federation presidents seized the opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction and highlight the mistakes and controversial decisions made during the tournament.
Walid Sadi condemned refereeing errors, biased disciplinary sanctions, and an unorthodox process for appointing officials, including the validation of some referees via WhatsApp, according to La Gazette du Fennec. The Algerian president even called for the dissolution of the refereeing committee, proposing the establishment of a new, more credible and transparent body.
Samuel Eto’o denounces injustice
Samuel Eto’o echoed the same tone of dissent. Suspended for four matches after losing his cool during the Cameroon-Morocco quarterfinal (0-2), the former striker did not hold back in denouncing what he sees as an injustice.
The president of the refereeing committee, Olivier Safari Kabene, was also at the center of the criticism. Senegalese Augustin Senghor, Ivorian Idriss Diallo, and Egyptian Hani Abou Reda called for his immediate removal or resignation.
According to winwin, Safari Kabene faced harsh criticism for appointing the same referee for both the opening match and the final, and for his silence amid the controversy. He was interrupted several times until he fell silent, perfectly illustrating the electric atmosphere that prevailed in the meeting.
