FIFA has initiated formal disciplinary proceedings against three high-ranking officials from the Congo-Brazzaville Football Federation (Fecofoot) following their recent criminal convictions for financial misconduct. The individuals under investigation include Fecofoot President Jean-Guy Mayolas, General Secretary Wantete Badji, and Treasurer Raoul Kanda.
This development comes after a Brazzaville criminal court sentenced Mayolas, along with his wife and son, to life imprisonment in absentia on March 10th for multiple offenses including embezzlement, money laundering, forgery, and use of forged documents. Badji and Kanda received five-year prison sentences in the same case.
The court found that $1.3 million in FIFA development funds had been misappropriated, with the majority intended for critical projects including a national training center, women’s football development, and COVID-19 relief efforts. According to a declaration signed by all women’s club presidents in the country’s top flight, only a minimal percentage of these funds ever reached their intended destinations.
FIFA’s ethics committee launched its investigation after receiving substantial documentation detailing financial misconduct. The charges include forgery, conflicts of interest, and offering and accepting improper gifts. This marks not the first violation for Mayolas and Badji, who previously received six-month bans from FIFA in 2015 for similar infractions related to gifts and benefits.
The federation itself faced severe consequences earlier when FIFA imposed a suspension in February 2023 due to political interference after the Congolese government dismissed Mayolas. This suspension forced the national team to forfeit two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Tanzania, significantly damaging Congo-Brazzaville’s qualifying campaign where they managed just one point from eight games. The ban was eventually lifted in May 2023 after Fecofoot met specific conditions, including regaining full control of its headquarters and facilities.