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Somalia, 3 November 2025 — The suspended Chairman of the Somali Olympic Committee, Ahmed Abdi Hassan ‘Wataac’ has accused the Ministry of Youth and Sports of failing to promote sports development and instead acting as an obstacle to progress.
Wataac made the remarks during a press conference in Mogadishu on Monday following the suspension of senior Olympic Committee officials by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Abdulqadir Ali.
“The Ministry of Youth and Sports does not work for the development of sports in Somalia — in fact, it hinders it,” he said.
Wataac maintained that the Ministry has no legal authority to dismiss him, arguing that the Olympic Committee is an independent institution that does not fall under the ministry’s control.
On 2nd November, Minister Ali announced the suspension of the Committee’s Chairman and Secretary, citing “conduct contrary to the rules, ethics, and regulations governing sports administration in the country.”
However, Wataac claimed that the Ministry had demanded the Olympic Committee vacate its headquarters, which he alleged triggered the dispute.
The conflict intensified after the posting of a video on social media on 29th October, which showed the Minister visiting a construction site that the Ministry claims to be developing, a move Olympic Committee officials viewed as undermining their authority.
The accusations and counter accusations between the Ministry and the Olympic Committee highlights deepening tensions between the Ministry and independent sports bodies in Somalia.