French coach Claude Le Roy, who currently leads the Red Devils of Congo-Brazzaville, finds himself at the center of a media storm once again. Known for his notable public appearances, the veteran of African football has sparked anger among football officials in the DRC following a recent press conference where his comments were deemed particularly controversial.
The reaction was swift, coming from across the river, with an authoritative voice. Invited to the set of the international channel TV5 Monde, the president of FECOFA, Véron Mosengo, firmly rebuked the French coach. The leader of the Congolese football federation directly accused Claude Le Roy of bad faith, particularly responding to the latter's comments regarding Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA.
To support his accusations of interference and highlight the coach's double standards, the Congolese official brought up a damning file from the time when the Frenchman was working in West Africa. “Claude Le Roy shows bad faith. I remember that when he was in Togo, FIFA President Infantino wanted to meet with the President of the Republic of Togo, Mr. Gnassingbé. But Claude Le Roy refused to allow the president of the Togolese federation to be present at that meeting,” revealed Véron Mosengo live on air.
This explosive statement sheds light on the coach's methods and reignites the debate about the extra-sporting influence he may have had over African heads of state at the expense of local federations. While he strives to stabilize his Red Devils team, Claude Le Roy's image is seriously tarnished by this direct attack from Kinshasa, which is sure to provoke reactions in the sub-region.
