Drogba: FIF election result see former Chelsea player fail in Ivory Coast federation presidential bid

Didier Drogba

EPA

Didier Drogba fail to become president of Ivory Coast football federation (FIF) as Yacine Idriss Diallo win Saturday elections.

Former Chelsea striker Drogba, wey Premier League name for dia Hall of Fame dis week, lose for di first round of voting with just under a fifth of di vote.

For di second round, Diallo, wey be businessman and current FIF executive member, squeeze out former FIF vice-president Sory Diabaté by 63 votes to 61.

Saturday election for di political capital Yamoussoukro bin dey postponed several times since 2020, mainly over di ongoing issues wey concern eligibility of certain candidates, wit Drogba one of dem.

After Fifa appoint normalisation committee to oversee Ivorian football, Drogba candidacy – wey dem initially reject over weda im get di required number of official backers – dem later accept am.

Drogba play more than 100 times for di Elephants, including for di 2006 and 2010 World Cups, but for August 2020 dem tell am say im no dey eligible to stand for di election.

After intervention from Fifa, di 44-year-old, wey win four Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League across two spells wit Chelsea, retain im hopes of running di game for di West African kontri.

Yet Ivory Coast all-time top scorer suffer elimination with only 21 votes for di first round, wen Diallo (59 votes) and Diabaté (50 votes) make am through to di second round.

Drogba achievements and ambitious programme for development of football for Ivory Coast bin don raise im popularity, and afta im defeat many of im supporters express their anger on social media on Saturday.

“Di presidents of clubs just kill Ivorian football, as im eliminate Didier Drogba,” one user, Rosana225, tok. “I hope say Ivorians no go take revenge by boycotting di 2023 Afcon.”

Diallo get mandate of four years and di organisation of di 2023 African Cup of Nations, wey Ivory Coast go host, go be im first major challenge.

Ivory Coast don win Africa Cup of Nations two times – for 1992 and 2015.