Les nuages continuent de s’amonceler sur la Mauritius Football Association (MFA). Après la découverte d’un cellulaire en mode ‘recording’ dans les toilette des filles et la démission presque dans la foulée de Didier Pragassa, le secrétaire général de l’instance, c’est au tour de Barlen Sengayen de prendre ses distances de la MFA. Ce membre du comité directeur présidait la commission sur le développement et la formation (Youth Football).

Barlen Sengayen est également le président de Chamarel SC. Il a soumis sa démission hier. Ce serait l’Emergency Committee organisé mardi à la MFA qui a motivé son départ de Trianon. Un homme de loi était présent lors de ce comité bien que les membres de l’exécutif n’aient pas été mis au courant en amont. Dans un courriel adressé à l’ensemble des membres de la MFA pour les informer de sa démission, Barlen Sengayen reproche à la MFA d’avoir invité l’avocat portant les initiales A. L. et énonce plusieurs autres points qui l’ont poussé à quitter le navire.

Il fustige également cette phrase qu’aurait prononcée Samir Sobha, le président de la MFA, au début de la rencontre. «Moins ou kozer, pu pli bon pu ou. Ena ene homme de loi ici la.» Par ailleurs, Barlen Sengayen déplore le manque de professionnalisme de l’instance au cours de l’Emergency Committee car certains membres du comité directeur de la MFA n’ont pas été invités à cette réunion d’urgence. Il reproche également au président Samir Sobha d’avoir fait un enregistrement audio de l’Emergency Committee à l’insu de ceux présents.

En dernier lieu, Barlen Sengayen affirme ne pas se sentir en sécurité à la MFA qui est, selon lui, géré par des personnes pas très professionnelles. Nous avons contacté le principal intéressé au cours de la journée d’hier. Il n’a toutefois pas répondu à nos sollicitations. 

Ci-dessous les raisons avancées par Barlen Sengayen pour justifier son départ :

Attention to Mr. Nazeer Bowud
Deputy Secretary General
Mauritius Football Association
 
Dear Mr Nazeer,
Further to the meeting held on Tuesday 10 August 2021, I would like to bring to your kind attention several points below that may cause prejudice to the integrity of Mauritius Football Association (MFA) and myself.

1. The invitation (attachment 1) was to attend an Emergency Committee with a defined list of persons invited.

2. On the day of the meeting at the venue, other persons (not in the initial list on the above-mentioned invite) were invited at the last minute (presumable over the phone) to the meeting without prior amendments to the initial invite.

3. It was to our utmost surprise that we take cognizance that a lawyer namely Mr A.L will be present in the committee room. I was personally taken aback by this announcement without any prior notice. The presence of Mr A.L. in the committee room during the meeting remains questionable as per his present mandate with the MFA.

4. The President made the following statement “Moins ou kozer, pu pli bon pu ou. Ena ene homme de loi ici la”. I hope that this will be reflected in the Minutes of Meeting thereafter as this statement is tantamount to intimidation thereby hindering the freedom of expression of those present including those in the management.

5. As per the invite, the only items in the agenda was the serious allegation about the mobile phone discovered in the women toilet. Another item was tabled nonetheless, regarding the resignation letter of the Secretary General due to medical reasons.

6. Further to point 5 above, a communique was posted announcing the resignation of the Secretary General and that an “Executive Emergency meeting” was held to this regard. I reiterate that the invite for the meeting was for an Emergency Committee and not an Executive Emergency meeting. This only show the lack of professionalism and ethics at the head of MFA, not to say the gangrenous cause to the current pitiful state of the MFA.

7. Finally and most importantly, near the end of the meeting the President announced that the meeting was on recording and that the Deputy Secretary General was doing the recording. I had no choice other than to object to this dishonest and Machiavellian maneuver, as we have not been informed of this prior to the meeting. I hope that this point is also reflected in the Minutes of Meeting ahead.

a. Needless to say; this is a serious offence orchestrated by the President and the Deputy Secretary General which is in breach of the Data Protection Act 2017 leaving grounds for lawsuits to further tarnish the reputation of the MFA.

b. The irony of the matter is that the agenda was to discuss on a thematic regarding “Recording a person without consent” and here we have the President and the Deputy Secretary General recording attendees without consent in a Committee room.

I am an avid football passionate and for more than 10 years I have been faithful and served as Committee Member and other positions in the MFA. To my knowledge, this is for the very first time that a lawyer is assisting Managing Committee and on top of that having a meeting recorded without our permission.

With reference to the above, I personally feel that I was misled and I do feel secure in this environment led by unprofessional people. I am hereby, in my full capacity and knowledge, resigning as Committee Member of the National Managing Committee of the Mauritius Football Association.

I am also dissociating myself to all the decision taken during the above-mentioned meeting held on 10 August 2021 as I was misled and manipulated.
 
Your faithfully
Barlen Sengayen