Fueled by dreams of glory embodied by Sadio Mané and Idrissa Gana Gueye, among others, thousands of young people flock each year to football training centers, seen as springboards to social success. But behind the promises of a bright future, recent and past scandals and serious accusations raise a troubling question: have these structures, meant to protect and guide young people, become dangerous environments? Caught between dreams, abuses, and the need for regulation, the model of Senegalese football academies is now at the heart of the debate. Indeed, the recent scandal involving players' agent Ibrahima Magib Seck prompts us to ask several questions.

Today, thousands of teenagers aspire to join training centers to secure a professional career and a better life. But behind this collective dream, a darker reality is beginning to emerge. Repeated scandals involving certain football academies are now casting a worrying shadow over these institutions.

In both working-class neighborhoods and rural areas, joining a training center has become a major goal. For families, often facing economic hardship, football represents a rare opportunity for social transformation. These centers promise high-level athletic training, educational support, access to professional clubs, and a chance to improve the lives of an entire generation. Who doesn't dream of building a school in their neighborhood, like the one in Bambaly?

It is a model of success that has largely contributed to the growth and influence of Senegalese football. However, in recent years, several renowned centers have been tainted by serious accusations related to behaviors deemed contrary to social, sporting, and moral values.

Among the cases that sparked strong emotions was that involving Mor Talla Seck and Olivier Perrin at the Génération Foot center, an organization renowned for having trained numerous international players. Furthermore, a member of the coaching staff at the professional club AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur was also dismissed for alleged sexual abuse of minors. These accusations targeted Olivier Sylvain at the Dakar Sacré-Cœur center, also considered a leading institution. The club announced on its website that it had "had to terminate, with immediate effect, its collaboration" with what it described as a "club volunteer," who had arrived in 2019, due to "inappropriate behavior" towards several players. The statement did not specify the exact nature of the allegations but mentioned at least six victims.

The case involving Ibrahima Magib Seck, affiliated with the Diambars institute, is also generating strong reactions.

Another case, involving D. Faye, director of the Bandia football center, was heard in the Mbour High Court. Although the court ultimately acquitted the defendant, he had been accused of indecent assault, unnatural acts, and fraud, following accusations from an 18-year-old resident who claimed to have had sexual relations with him on two occasions.

In another sporting sphere, a rape case also made headlines: a 34-year-old volleyball coach, I. Sow, was accused of rape, abduction and corruption of a minor following a complaint filed by the father of a 16-year-old victim.

These revelations have deeply shocked public opinion and created a climate of mistrust, particularly among parents who entrust their children to these institutions with hope and confidence. According to this expert, the phenomenon is becoming recurrent, and it is urgent that the State take responsibility: "Some parents are afraid to send their children to be trained in a center. The State should put in place more safeguards to protect children and young people," he urges.

Indeed, the residents of training centers are generally minors, separated from their families and dependent on their supervisors for their progress. This situation creates a power imbalance that can foster abuse. Several factors exacerbate their vulnerability: separation from their families, the pressure to succeed at all costs, a lack of information about their rights, the absence of accessible reporting mechanisms, and the fear of jeopardizing their future. For many observers, these conditions require a particularly strict protective framework, comparable to that applied in educational institutions.

A collective responsibility in question

These scandals raise profound questions about the regulation of the sector: are the centers adequately monitored? Are the standards for the protection of minors actually being applied? Are there independent oversight mechanisms? Are the sanctions a deterrent?

Some experts believe that the rapid growth of professional football in Senegal has not always been accompanied by adequate oversight. Others, however, urge caution against generalizations, noting that several academies operate in strict compliance with the rules.

In conclusion, the dream of football can sometimes turn into a risky environment when protective mechanisms are insufficient. Football remains a powerful source of hope, but the pursuit of performance must never come at the expense of dignity and safety. The stakes go beyond sport: it is about protecting an entire generation. For while football can transform lives, it must never break those it promises to uplift.