The Normalization Committee of the Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) has cleared Didier Drogba to become its next president.
The 44-year-old announced his plans to stand for the elections in August 2020. He said back then that his decision was based out of love for Ivory Coast and passion for our football.
That said, he was kicked out of the race on the grounds that two names that he submitted as sponsors had no authority to do so, which led to appointment of the Fifa-installed normalisation committee to organize fresh elections.
Drogba has now been cleared by Mariam Dao Gabala’s led committee for the delayed elections set for April 23.
“The candidacy for the presidency of the Ivorian football federation is closed,” announced Mariam Dao Gabala on Monday as per BBC.
“Six candidates have been registered. They are Yatte Ellele Jean-Baptiste, Arnaud Aka, Laurent Kouakou, Idriss Diallo, Sory Diabate and Didier Drogba.”
Drogba is seen as the strongest contender as he will not need much to convince the movers and shakers of the game in the West African nation that he is the right man to spearhead the revolution of the sport.
The Ivorian legend’s storied career took him to France, England, China, Turkey, Canada and the United States.
He is best remembered for his spell at Chelsea, helping them to four English Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League, which he famously won through an 88th-minute equaliser and the winning penalty in the deciding shootout against Bayern Munich.
Drogba scored 65 goals in 104 appearances for Ivory Coast over a 12-year period. He played in three World Cups and was twice named African Footballer of the Year.
