Mali Coach Slams FIFA and Arsène Wenger Over AFCON Player Release Delay: "No Respect for African Football"

Recent decisions by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) regarding the release date of players for the Africa Cup of Nations have sparked widespread discontent among national teams across the continent. Sharp criticism has been directed at FIFA, with Arsène Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, also facing scrutiny.

In this context, Mali national team coach Tom Saintfiet expressed his strong anger over the decision, directly criticizing Arsène Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, and accusing him of not understanding national team football.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Saintfiet stated: "The problem is that FIFA's technical director, Arsène Wenger, knows nothing about national team football. Apart from two seasons in Japan, he has only worked with major clubs in Europe, such as Arsenal and Monaco. This is what he is doing now, working for major clubs, not for national teams. FIFA's technical director should be a former national team coach who understands the world and the coaching profession."

Saintfiet's criticism extended further, as he condemned the treatment of non-European continents in FIFA's decisions. He declared: "There is no respect for football in Africa, in Asia, in Oceania, or in CONCACAF. For FIFA, the center of football is Europe, and it is the only one that matters, and the money of clubs in Europe is the only thing that matters."

Saintfiet, who appeared extremely displeased, did not hide his incomprehension regarding the last-minute decision, adding: "This is catastrophic. In Europe, everyone thinks African football is not important, and this is a lack of respect. I am very angry."

The Mali coach also pointed out the sporting dimension of the problem, stating that with players released late, it becomes impossible to properly prepare the national team. He said: "We cannot prepare the team, and we cannot play friendly matches. We have to cancel those we planned against Botswana and Tanzania; I no longer have players."