JUST IN; Libyan football federation president tenders resignation
Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani has resigned as President of the Libyan Football Federation.
He announced his departure during a regular meeting of the Federation’s General Assembly, as reported by the Libya Observer, an online newspaper based in Tripoli.
Al-Shalmani stated, “I do not want to be part of the failure in Libyan sports. We faced challenges during the previous period. I thank all members of the General Assembly and forgive everyone in the sports sector.”
He emphasised his extensive experience with international, Arab, and African federations, asserting, “No one can deny that.”
This resignation occurs amid rising tensions between the Nigerian Super Eagles and the Libyan national team ahead of their All African Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday.
Reports indicated that the Super Eagles experienced “inhumane treatment” upon arrival in Libya, being stranded at Al Abraq International Airport for over 15 hours, which many perceived as a retaliatory action.
In response, the Nigerian Football Federation’s director of communications, Ademola Olajire, confirmed that the team was en route back to Nigeria. The Libyan Football Federation clarified that the delay was due to routine air traffic and logistical issues, not intentional misconduct.
