Tripoli, Libya – Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani, President of the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), has officially resigned from his position, citing dissatisfaction with the state of Libyan sports.
Al-Shalmani’s resignation was announced during the Federation’s General Assembly meeting on Sunday. In his parting statement, he expressed regret for the situation in Libyan sports, saying, “I do not want to be part of the failure in Libyan sports.”
Despite the circumstances, he extended gratitude to his colleagues and forgiveness to those in the sports sector, stating, “I thank all members of the General Assembly, and I forgive everyone from all segments of the sports sector.”
The resignation comes amidst the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s accusations of “inhumane treatment” by the Libyan football authorities. The Nigerian team was stranded at Al Abraq International Airport for over 16 hours without assistance from the LFF ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
In response, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has initiated an investigation into the incident. CAF said in a statement, “The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation, and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”