El Hadji Diouf faces jail time over child support non-payment
A former Premier League striker faces jail time after “refusing to pay £670-a-month” for his child, reports BritPanorama.
El Hadji Diouf, 44, was ordered to pay child support for his daughter Keyla, 17, as well as school fees and medical bills. His ex-wife, Valerie Bishop, has accused the now-retired Liverpool and Blackburn forward of not paying her £14,000 in child maintenance despite having the means to do so.
According to Bishop, she has not received any payments since March 2024, leading to an accumulation of debt. Diouf failed to appear at a court hearing on Tuesday in Senegal’s capital, Dakar. Senegal’s law stipulates that the two-time African Footballer of the Year could face jail time under Article 351 of the West African country’s penal code if found guilty of refusing to pay maintenance.
Valerie’s lawyer, Mame Adama Gueye, stated, “El Hadji Diouf is fully solvent.” The lawyer further claimed, “He has the means to pay, but refuses to do so. He leads a comfortable existence and divides his time between Dakar and Saly Portudal.” Diouf is expected back in the high court in Dakar on December 5.
The Senegalese national was a significant figure in his country’s remarkable 2002 World Cup run, which included defeating the reigning champions France. He was named to the World Cup All-Star team and won African Footballer of the Year in 2021 and 2022.
Diouf’s career was not without controversy; he was charged with spitting on a Celtic fan during his tenure at Liverpool. After signing for £10 million from French club Lens, he scored only six goals in 80 appearances for Liverpool over three seasons. His time in the Premier League included stints at various clubs such as Bolton and Sunderland, where he continued to draw attention for both his performance and outspoken nature.
As Diouf prepares for his next court appearance, the focus will not only be on his legal troubles but also on the player’s legacy in football and the ongoing narrative of financial responsibility in the lives of professional athletes. In sports as in life, public perception can shift quickly—one minute a hero, the next, an example of how fame does not necessarily equate to accountability.
