Drogba Foundation welcomes probe into donations controversy

Ivorian soccer star Didier Drogba has welcomed an investigation into his charity over “serious regulatory concerns”, the BBC reports.

This comes after UK’s Daily Mail published an article claiming that only £14,115 out of £1.7m donated to the Didier Drogba Foundation had been used for the intended missions in Africa.

The article claimed that £439,321 was spent in putting together lavish fundraising parties attended by celebrities, and more than £1m languished in bank accounts.

While speaking to the BBC from Montreal, Canada, where he is playing for MLS side Montreal Impact, Drogba said all charity projects so far had been funded by his own sponsorship deals, rather than money from UK fundraisers.

The former Ivory Coast international said: “I’m responsible for this money; I’m not going to spend it just to spend it. The 38 year old added that “everything is clear” and that “this money will be spent when it needs to be spent.”

The charity which was started in 2007 is run in the Ivory Coast but is also registered in the United Kingdom.

Statement : pic.twitter.com/RP1dUd73Rb

— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) April 14, 2016

And in an earlier statement, Drogba said he had spent 3.7m euros (£2.9m) on projects in the Ivory Coast, including building a mobile clinic and investing in orphanages.

Drogba said he will take legal action against the Daily Mail, which said in a statement that it “stands by every word of this important story,” BBC further reports.

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