Broken Promises, Mismanagement: Algerian Federation President’s Failure to Ensure Representativeness

ALGIERS – In a stunning defeat during the Executive Committee (COMEX) elections of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) held in Abidjan, Djahid Zefizef, the President of the Algerian Federation (FAF), has failed to fulfill his commitment of improving Algeria’s representation within the continental body. Despite the generous support extended by the public authorities, Zefizef’s defeat raises concerns about the state of Algerian football and the lack of effective leadership.

Having been elected as the head of FAF in July 2022, replacing Charaf-Eddine Amara, Zefizef’s hopes of securing a better position for Algeria within CAF were dashed just a year later. In the COMEX elections, his opponent, Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani of Libya, secured 38 votes compared to Zefizef’s mere 15 votes while seeking a second term.

Zefizef had made a pledge to invest in sports diplomacy during his tenure, with the aim of rejuvenating Algeria’s presence in the governing body of African football. However, his efforts proved futile, despite Algeria’s investment in state-of-the-art sports infrastructure and highly conducive conditions for football development.

The Algerian president had two significant opportunities to promote his candidacy to various African federations through the CHAN-2022 (postponed to 2023) and the U17 CAN, both of which were successfully organized in Algeria this year. Unfortunately, his failure to secure a position within CAF reflects poorly on his ability to leverage these opportunities.

Regrettably, this failure, labeled as “unforgivable” by Algerian sports observers and analysts, occurred at a time when the authorities had dedicated significant resources to support Zefizef’s integration into the COMEX of CAF. The hope was that he would be able to confront the unjust attacks against Algeria orchestrated by certain parties within CAF itself.

Since his election in 2019, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has placed great importance on sports, particularly football, by providing the necessary means for Algerian federations to participate in major international events. Substantial efforts have been made to construct modern sporting facilities that meet international standards, intended to elevate Algeria’s position and influence in continental and international football.

Unfortunately, Zefizef’s tenure has been marred by a string of failures, particularly within the young national teams, highlighting a significant management deficit that has adversely affected Algerian football.

Apart from a victory secured by the U17 team at the Arab Championship held in September 2022 against Morocco (1-1, penalty shootout: 4-2), the results across other categories have been disappointing, bordering on catastrophic. This has cast doubts on Zefizef’s leadership and his Federal Office, which is now under heavy scrutiny and facing calls for accountability.

The first significant setback under Zefizef’s leadership was the defeat of the local A team in the final of the CHAN-2022 African Nations Championship (postponed to 2023) against Senegal (0-0, penalty shootout: 5-4).

Following this, there were a series of inglorious eliminations for the U20 and U23 teams, as they failed to qualify for the respective CAN tournaments.

Notably, the failure of the U23 team, led by former coach Noureddine Ould Ali, was especially impactful as it denied Algeria the opportunity to participate in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris 2024.

Adding to the woes, the FAF failed to enter a women’s team into the playoffs for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with FAF Secretary General Mounir Debichi acknowledging an “administrative blunder.” Such amateurish management within the federation exemplifies the need for immediate measures to rectify the situation and restore Algerian football to its former glory.

In the wake of the resounding failure in Abidjan, it is imperative for observers to demand corrective actions to bring Algerian football back on track. The nation’s footballing reputation, once revered, must not be allowed to further decline due to inadequate leadership and mismanagement.