Refereeing Earthquake in CAF: Ivorian Doué Noumandiez Dismissed Following Official Moroccan Protest

ALDAR/ Sara El oukili

Ivorian official Doué Noumandiez has been officially relieved of his duties as head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Referees Committee, following a formal complaint submitted by Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and member of both the CAF Executive Committee and FIFA Council.

According to multiple corroborating sources within CAF, the dismissal decision came after a series of serious concerns regarding the committee’s performance under Noumandiez’s leadership. Most notably, the inconsistency in refereeing decisions during several crucial matches—many of which involved Moroccan national teams and clubs. The final straw was the denial of a clear penalty for the Moroccan women’s national team in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

This move followed an official letter from Fouzi Lekjaa to CAF President Patrice Motsepe, in which he detailed what he described as “repeated refereeing lapses undermining the credibility of continental competitions,” particularly in light of the controversial officiating during the women’s final.

Lekjaa—who holds considerable influence within African and global football governance—called for a thorough restructuring of the Referees Committee and the appointment of qualified individuals known for their integrity and expertise, away from narrow interests and regional power balances.

The dismissal of Doué Noumandiez is not merely a routine administrative decision; it sends a strong signal that the era of arbitrary management and dubious officiating decisions within CAF is coming to an end. It also marks a shift toward a new era of transparency and fairness in the governance of African refereeing—a sector long plagued by criticism.

Noumandiez had assumed leadership of the Referees Committee three years ago, at a time when CAF was attempting to reform its refereeing body after decades of turmoil. However, his tenure was marred by persistent doubts, with observers pointing to what they called “silent biases” and “technical chaos” that further eroded trust in African officiating.