Ahead of Libya’s Tuesday clash against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, President of the Libyan Football Federation, Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani has resigned.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Al-Shalmani resigned on Sunday, two days before Libya’s crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying Group D clash with Nigeria.
Al-Shalmani submitted his resignation during the General Assembly meeting of the football federation in response to repeated demands for his resignation.
73 clubs from different regions of the country had decided to boycott the General Assembly meeting until the President of the Libyan Football Federation and the rest of the federation members submitted their resignations.
It was gathered that only four obscure clubs out of 120 clubs eventually attended the General Assembly meeting where Al-Shalmani submitted his resignation letter.
In his speech during the meeting, Al-Shalmani expressed his conviction in the achievements he made during his presidency, but at the same time stressed that he did not want to be a cause of division in the sports community or the political scene in the country.
He also thanked all the officials who cooperated with him during his tenure, wishing success to the national team and future generations in developing Libyan football.
Al-Shalmani referred to his history full of achievements in the International, Arab and African Federations, expressing his pride in what he achieved during that period, stressing that no one can deny that.
Despite indicating his satisfaction with the efforts made during his presidency, Al-Shalmani made it clear that he does not want to be part of the failure of Libyan sports or a reason for deepening the division between clubs and fans.
Al-Shalmani’s resignation came after increasing pressure from Libyan clubs, as several clubs announced the suspension of their participation in the next season, in protest against the federation’s decision to increase the number of Premier League teams to 36 teams.
The Tripoli Clubs Association also issued a statement withdrawing confidence from Al-Shalmani, while the clubs of Benghazi, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, and the southern region abstained from attending the General Assembly meeting until Al-Shalmani submitted his resignation.
TNG reports the meeting was held at the Al-Mahari Hotel in the capital of Tripoli and was attended by representatives of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
