The Electoral Commission of Ivory Coast have rejected the application by Chelsea legend Didier Drogba to contest in the upcoming election as a candidate for the role as the President of the country’s football federation for the next four years.
Individuals who also submitted their application to stand in the polls earlier this month included Paul Koffi Kouadio, Diabate and Yacine Idriss Diallo but FIF’s Electoral Commission has ruled Drogba did not completely meet its list of eligibility criteria.
According to the Electoral Commission, Drogba’s bid was rejected as two of the names he submitted as his sponsors were ruled not to have the necessary authority to be his sponsors.
Also, Ivorian club African Sport officials and a body representing referees, AMAF-CI, support federation’s current 1st vice president Sory Diabate as their nominee, a vital endorsement that would have helped Drogba’s presidential ambitions.
FIF’s electoral commission also ruled that different officials from the same organization who signed Drogba’s electoral papers were not authorised to do so.
The commission announced that Drogba only had the backing of only two top-flight Ivorian clubs and not the three that FIF statutes demand.
Paul Koffi Kouadio’s application was also rejected leaving Diabate and Yacine Idriss Diallo as the remaining candidates. The commission says Drogba and Kouadio have five days to appeal.
Drogba played more than 100 times for Ivory Coast. During his trophy packed club career, he played for Chelsea, French giants Marseille, Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua as well as Galatasaray in Turkey.
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