Ethics and governance of sport: FIFA's decision on the Balogun case is brought up at the Kéba Mbaye Foundation panel

FIFA's recent decision to lift the suspension following Balogun's red card at the 2026 World Cup was at the heart of the discussions at the panel organized this Tuesday by the Kéba Mbaye Foundation, at the Babacar Touré Press House.

Held under the theme "Ethics and governance of sport: Legacy of Judge Kéba Mbaye and contemporary challenges in Africa " , the meeting brought together several specialists in sports law to discuss the challenges of governance in sports bodies.

When questioned about this matter, the magistrate and member of the foundation, Ousmane Kane, refrained from commenting on the substance of FIFA's decision, recalling that it was not his role to pass judgment on the choices of another body.

“I cannot agree with decisions made at FIFA level. However, I think there are sometimes improvements to be made in the communication and explanation of decisions. What people often complain about is the feeling that an exception has been made, when we have been told that there are precedents,” he said.

For the magistrate, the controversy surrounding the Balogun case mainly illustrates the need for better communication of disciplinary decisions in order to avoid misunderstandings and accusations of bad faith.

Beyond this news, Ousmane Kane emphasized the importance of strengthening governance mechanisms within sports institutions, particularly in Africa. He revealed that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) still lacks an ethics committee, while specifying that its creation is now well underway.

"The work is very advanced and is being conducted under the direction of our compatriot Augustin Senghor. I hope that, in the coming months, the CAF will finally have a fully operational ethics committee," he said.

According to him, such a body is essential because "regulation is not always enough." "Ethics comes into play where regulation reaches its limits. Regulation punishes wrongdoing, while ethics judges the behavior of those responsible for judging that wrongdoing," he explained.

The magistrate also advocated for the creation of ethics committees within national federations, including the Senegalese Football Federation, believing that strengthening these bodies is an essential lever for improving transparency, credibility and trust in the governance of African sport.