Football in Togo

The sport of football in the country of Togo is run by the Fédération Togolaise de Football. The association administers the national football team, as well as the Premier League.

Recent history

Although Togo's qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany was historic, its participation was marred by incidents and headlines. There were problems within the Togolese Football Association (Fédération Togolaise de Football – FTF) as well as between players and the Football Association. Problems were financial bonuses. The culmination of that conflict led to the resignation of the national team coach, Otto Pfister, and the threat made by the players not to play their game against Switzerland on 16 June 2006. Ultimately, the FIFA stepped in to satisfy the players' requirements and the first boycott of a FIFA World Cup game never happened. Togo was knocked out of the tournament in the group stage after losing to South Korea, Switzerland and France.

Over the following months, the stalemate continued to mar Togolese football, and eventually resulted in the dismissal of strike pair and Kader Coubadja-Touré, and defender Daré Nibombé in March 2007, ostensibly for "indecent remarks concerning the FTF management."[1]

Until his dismissal from the team over a long-standing bonus dispute,[1] Adebayor was largely considered the side's star player. He currently plays for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

On 8 January 2010, The Togo National Football team's bus was fired upon in Angola whilst attending the African Nations Cup being held there. The bus driver, assistant coach and team spokesman died, and two players were also injured. This led to Togo withdrawing from the tournament at the behest of the Togolese government.

On 12 April 2010, Emmanuel Adebayor retired from duty with the Togo National team.

On 26 November 2011, former Togo goalkeeper Charles Balogou was among six people killed when a bus, carrying players and officials from the Etoile Filante delegation, plunged into a ravine 130 kilometers north of Lomé and caught fire. Togo football federation spokesman Aime Ekpe said another 25 people from the delegation — 19 of them players — in addition to the driver were injured in the crash.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Togo axe Adebayor and two others". BBC Sport. 25 March 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  2. ↑ Former Togo goalkeeper among 6 dead in bus crash, Sports Illustrated.com, November 26, 2011.

External links