Somalia, 2 November 2025 — The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports has suspended the Chairman and Secretary of the Somali Olympic Committee (SOC), Ahmed Abdi Hassan Wataac and Mohamed Abdow Haji, following allegations of misconduct.
In a statement issued today, the ministry said the decision comes after preliminary investigations indicated that the officials engaged in actions contrary to the rules, ethics, and governance standards governing national sports bodies, undermining trust between the ministry and the committee’s subcommittees.
Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Abdulqadir Ali, said: "This measure is intended to improve transparency, accountability, and the independence of Somalia’s sports organizations."
Attempts to reach Chairman Wataac for comment were unsuccessful, but he later said he would respond to the allegations in due course while declining to comment at this time.
The Chairman and Secretary were elected one year ago in the ninth national Olympic Committee election for a four-year term. The SOC elects its own leadership, including a chairman, secretary, and multiple deputy chairpersons.