Amrouche appointed Rwanda’s ‘Amavubi’ coach
KIGALI: Adel Amrouche has been appointed as the new head coach of the Rwandan national team. The Algerian tactician will embark on his seventh coaching assignment at the international level.
Following his reinstatement by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, which annulled an eight-match suspension imposed by the CAF’s disciplinary board, Amrouche has quickly found a new opportunity to revitalize his career in Rwanda.
As of March 2, local media confirmed his appointment, with Eric Nshimiyimana and Calorin Braun joining him as assistant coaches. While he currently serves as an expert overseeing the development of sports federations at FIFA under the guidance of Arsène Wenger, it remains to be seen whether Amrouche will relinquish this role or if a compromise has been reached to juggle both responsibilities.
At 58 years old, Amrouche’s coaching journey began in 2007 with Burundi, followed by stints with Kenya (2013-2014), Libya (2018), Botswana (2019-2022), Yemen (2022-2023) and most recently Tanzania (2022-2023).
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During the last held in Côte d’Ivoire, while managing the Tanzanian squad, he openly criticised Morocco, alleging that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation holds significant influence within the CAF, even suggesting they select referees. This pointed remark was directed at the federation’s president, Fouzi Lekjaa.
Consequently, Amrouche faced severe repercussions from the CAF, resulting in an eight-match suspension and a fine of $10,000, leading to his dismissal from the Tanzanian Football Federation in the midst of the tournament.
However, he appealed to the CAS in Lausanne, ultimately securing a favorable ruling.
Indeed, the Swiss authority reached a decision weeks ago, annulling the sanctions against the Algerian coach and ordering the CAF to pay Amrouche a compensation of 3,000 Swiss francs.
This is not the first time Amrouche has emerged victorious in a legal battle against the CAF. In 2014, he was sanctioned for allegedly making racially charged remarks towards a Djiboutian referee while coaching Kenya. After appealing to the CAS, he was eventually exonerated.
