Ivory Coast lost $800,000 from bonuses meant for players

Authorities in Ivory Coast have confirmed that about $800,000 (about 520 million FCFA) is missing from bonuses meant for the national team players who won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea last February.

The state treasury manager was sacked on Wednesday after which the ministry of interior affairs launched an investigation into the scandal.

Upon the return from the 2015 Afcon, each player was promised $97,000 (that is a $50,000 house and $47,000 in cash).

The ministry of sports and the football federation have been pointing the finger at each other since last month when a player broke the news that the team’s bonuses were yet to be paid.

VfB Stuttgart midfielder Serey Die exposed early April that only part of his funds had been paid, with Frenchman Renard confirming as well that he was yet to receive his.

 Herve Renard (Coach) would take home $123,000 while another $490,000 would be shared among members of the technical staff.

The government decided to get involved this week following the failure of the ministry of sports and the FA to resolve the issue.
 
 “We would have long resolved this issue if the players had come in the open early enough to say their bonuses were never wired to their bank accounts,” said sports minister Alain Logbognon.

A spokesman said the authorities would settle the outstanding bonuses with immediate effect and then hold to account all those involved in the embezzlement.