The Charity Commission has issued an action plan for the Didier Drogba Foundation, after an inquiry identified governance failings, but said there was no evidence to support claims of fraud or corruption at the charity which was set up by the former Chelsea footballer and Ivorian international
The Commission’s inquiry was a response to concerns raised earlier this year by a national newspaper earlier this year about the operation of the charity and the possibility that funds had been misapplied.
In its report, the Commission found that donors may have been misled about the activities of the charity they were supporting, because its operations and those of La Fondation Didier Drogba (a non-governmental organisation previously established by Drogba in the Ivory Coast) were not adequately separated. The Commission considers this could affect the public’s trust and confidence in the English charity.
The Commission found failures in the charity’s governance, with poor record keeping and accounts that did not meet regulations. However it confirmed that despite poor governance, there was no evidence of fraud or corruption on behalf of the charity.
Funds had been raised at a number of events in the UK for a hospital project in the Ivory Coast, but the charity had not yet spent any of the funds on charitable activity. The trustees said this was due to the political situation in the Ivory Coast but did not explain this to donors adequately. The Commission considers that donors will have expected their donations to have been used for charitable purposes, not accumulated in a bank account.
The Commission was satisfied that funds had not been misapplied and there was no evidence of fraud or corruption. However, the Commission has issued the charity with an action plan to ensure that the outstanding concerns, particularly with regard to transparency to donors and the public, are addressed by the charity’s trustees. The Commission says it will follow up with the charity to ensure that it is implemented.
David Holdsworth, chief operating officer at the Charity Commission said: ‘Charities benefit greatly from the support and generosity of high profile individuals, who add a great deal to charities and causes they become involved in. This case highlights that having trustees with the right skills, experience and capacity is crucial to ensuring good governance, record keeping and transparency which are key to operating a charity effectively.’
