Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has initiated legal proceedings against British publication The Daily Mail for accusing his charitable trust, the Didier Drogba Foundation, of financial misappropriation. The striker, who now plays for MLS team Montreal Impact, suggested that the Daily Mail were “jeopardizing” the lives of thousands of African children.
The Daily Mail published its expose on Thursday. It claimed that less than 1% of the money raised by the Didier Drogba Foundation in the UK had reached its intended target. It says that 1.7 million pounds raised in the UK never reached the sick Africans it was meant for.
Drogba, in a post on social networking website Instagram, said that he had sent a legal letter and 67 pages of documents to the Daily Mail proving their information was “factually incorrect and libellous” which were ignored by the publication. Terming it irresponsible journalism, Drogba has initiated legal proceedings against them.
The Daily Mail report claims the donors which include the likes of Bono and Frank Lampard were told that their donations would help build a hospital and educate poor children in Ivory Coast. According to the report, of the 1.7 million pounds collected, only 14,115 pounds went to charity.
The Daily Mail, in its report, says that while the foundation claimed to be constructing a hospital and five other clinics , only one clinic had been built albeit without any staff or equipment.
An Ivorian FIFA executive who had been questioned by the police on corruption charges was also a trustee of the charity. Apparently, the foundation declined from commenting on whether taxes had been paid in the UK on the donations received.
Foundation has proof of transactions: Drogba
Drogba stated that the report had already caused a lot of damage by putting doubts in the minds of its sponsors and supporters who were now doubting the credibility of the organization. He was of the opinion that the Daily Mail was preventing Africa’s development by printing such lies.
In his statement, Drogba said that that foundation which was established in 2007 maintained comprehensive records. They had proof of all transactions taking place and all the documentation that was required by the law in both the Ivory Coast and the United Kingdom.
Drogba has been linked with a return to England as an assistant manager to Guus Hiddink at Chelsea. While he has been constantly scoring goals at Montreal Impact, he has only managed to play 20 minutes for the club in 2016.
