Former Burkina Faso international Jonathan Pitroipa runs for Football Federation Presidency

Jonathan Pitroipa, the former Burkina Faso winger, has officially submitted his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections of the Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF).

Following the footsteps of other African football legends like Samuel Eto’o, the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), and Didier Drogba, who ran for the presidency of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) in 2022, Pitroipa aims to lead the FBF.

Pitroipa, who had an illustrious international career with 82 caps and 19 goals, and was a finalist in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with the Burkina Faso national team, retired from professional football in 2021.

Since then, he has ventured into communication and music production with his company, Shamar Empire, and also owns PNP Sport Consulting Sarl, a sports event management company.

His candidacy is supported by his continuous involvement in football and business, as he explained in a June 2023 interview with Sport News Africa.

Pitroipa emphasized the importance of integrating into normal life and pursuing business ventures post-football.

The FBF presidential election, set for August 31, will see Pitroipa competing against Oumarou Sawadogo and Ali Guissou.

Current FBF president Lazare Banssé, amidst criticism, has withdrawn from the race.

This move comes a week after Burkina Faso’s president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, encouraged former international players to engage in local football development to inspire future champions.