Turmoil in Malian Football: National team Withdraws over Captain’s suspension
The Malian football scene is embroiled in turmoil. Following the suspension of the team captain Hamari Traoré by the Football Federation of Mali (Femafoot),the national team, the Eagles, announced their withdrawal from the national team.
This decision was a reaction to Traoré’s suspension for not appearing before the Disciplinary Jury to discuss his social media posts about the team’s internal affairs.
In a collective statement, the players clarified that all prior decisions had been made collectively and not solely by Traoré.
Consequently, they declared their withdrawal from national duty until the captain’s suspension is lifted.
The team has been facing challenges since their quarter-final exit in the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
These issues became evident during the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, which culminated in a disappointing draw against Madagascar and the subsequent dismissal of coach Eric Chelle.
The coach’s departure, after a series of unfortunate events including travel issues, left the team discontent and demanding a better environment.
With crucial Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers against Mozambique and Eswatini approaching, the urgency to resolve these internal conflicts is paramount to avoid potential penalties from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
