By Victor Kanayo
President of the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) Wadi Al Jari has been arrested on suspicion of financial corruption.
According to officials of the country’s Ministry of Youth and Sports development, the FA President was arrested following a “judicial complaint lodged by the Ministry concerning the illegality of a contract concluded between the Federation and a technical director.”
The Ministry’s spokesman Chokri Hamda particularly told local media that the case is linked to “financial corruption within the Federation”.
Many Sins Of Al Jari
As reported by Africanews via AFP, Al Jari is the subject of several investigations into match-fixing, money laundering, embezzlement, and corruption. He has always refuted these accusations with arguments.
Local media also reported deep disagreements between Al Jari, a former player and coach, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Kamel Deguiche.
In the autumn of 2020, a heated dispute broke out between Al Jari and Taoufik Mkacher, president of the Croissant Sportif de Chebba (CS Chebba) club.
The FTF suspended the east-central club, demanding payment of fines and the submission of administrative documents.
This decision, publicly denounced by Mr. Mkacher as an “injustice”, provoked a general strike and demonstrations for over 10 days in this town of 22,000 inhabitants.
Mr. Mkacher and the club’s general secretary had been banned from holding office for two years by the FTF following a Facebook post in which the president of CS Chebba denounced the FTF president’s “authoritarian” management and lack of transparency, and called for an audit of its finances.
Infantino’s Ally As CAF Executive Member
Al Jari is a member of the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and considered an ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
He has been the FTF president since 2012.
