Fear in DRC as national team coach goes for six months without pay

Sebastien Desabre breathing confidence, raring to guide DR Congo past Ivory Coast|FNTV IMAGE

Fear in DRC as national team coach goes for six months without pay

Joel Omotto 09:32 - 22.06.2024

Football authorities in DRC are wary of the prospect of being fined by FIFA after their national team coach has gone for six months without payment of his Ksh5.6m per month salary.

French coach Sebastien Desabre, who was appointed as head coach of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) national team in 2022, has now gone six months without receiving his salary.

Desabre's notable achievements include leading the DRC team, featuring Yoane Wissa and teammates, to a fourth-place finish in the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, where they lost to Hugo Broos' South Africa in the third-place match.

Despite these successes, Desabre has not been paid for half a year, according to the DRC Team Manager Dodo Landu.

With a salary of €41,000 (Ksh5,638,612) a month, that translates to €246,000 (Ksh33,831,672) in unpaid salaries.

Landu highlighted the precarious situation in a recent interview, stating that, per FIFA regulations, a coach's contract can be terminated if they remain unpaid for two consecutive months.

As of early June, Desabre has accumulated six months of unpaid salary. This situation means that Desabre could have left his position and demanded full payment of his contract. However, Landu emphasised that Desabre is motivated by a long-term vision for Congolese football, a vision that aligns with the country's leadership, rather than financial compensation.

The former Uganda Cranes coach has a contract with the DRC national team that extends until 2025.

Despite the financial challenges, he continues to focus on the team's performance, as evidenced by their promising start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where they have earned five points from four games.

His dedication to the team's future and his commitment to the development of football in the DRC are highly regarded by the Congolese football community.

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