Oumar Solet cleared to represent Cote d’Ivoire after late FIFA decision

Cote d’Ivoire defender Oumar Solet has been authorised to represent the national team by FIFA, less than 24 hours after the Federation Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) said he would miss both matches against the Gambia.

The ruling was issued by the single judge of FIFA’s Players’ Status Chamber on Friday 13 November, approving Solet’s request to change his international association with immediate effect.

That decision means the defender is now eligible for future matches with Cote d’Ivoire, although it came too late for him to feature in the first meeting with the Gambia in Bouake on Thursday 12 November.

The FIF had initially announced that Solet would be unavailable for both games because his change-of-association application was still being assessed by FIFA. At that stage, the federation said it had not received a final decision and believed the process could extend beyond the November international window.

A second statement issued on Friday confirmed the change in circumstances and the favourable decision from FIFA.

The handling of the case prompted criticism from Cote d’Ivoire supporters, who questioned why Solet had been called up before official clearance had been received.

Speaking to Fraternite Matin after Cote d’Ivoire’s 2-1 victory, manager Herve Renard said he had been hoping to select the defender but had been left waiting for confirmation.

“Unfortunately, I waited until 16:00 on Thursday to receive a negative response from FIFA,” Renard said.

The manager was ultimately able to rely on other options in the position, with the Elephants possessing depth in defence. However, Solet’s absence was still viewed as a disappointment by supporters who had been eager to see the player make his international appearance for Cote d’Ivoire.

The Facebook account Soutien aux Elephants described the FIF’s handling of the situation as “amateurism”. It also questioned what assurances had been given to Renard before Solet was selected.

The account criticised the decision to bring in a professional player without having the required approval in place, while also highlighting the logistical and financial consequences of the episode.

Although the rapid change in the federation’s communication has drawn strong criticism, similar cases occur regularly among African national teams. FIFA approval for a player to change international allegiance can sometimes take longer than expected.

Solet’s clearance therefore removes the uncertainty surrounding his future involvement with Cote d’Ivoire, but the ruling arrived only after the first match of the Gambia double-header had already been played.