Boucher had reportedly been called up just days earlier and was expected to compete for his first appearance for Madagascar. The report says old comments resurfaced, prompting criticism from supporters and former internationals.
The federation reportedly informed coach Corentin Martins of the remarks before deciding that Boucher would not join the squad for this international window. Another goalkeeper is understood to have been sent to meet the group in Nigeria.
That makes the timing particularly uncomfortable. A late change in the goalkeeping group can unsettle preparation, even when the replacement is familiar with the squad.
Boucher was born on Réunion and has Malagasy ancestry, but the episode highlights a broader issue in international football: being eligible to represent a country does not automatically mean a player wants to do so.
The report says Boucher’s comments were made years ago, before he understood that he could qualify for Madagascar. Circumstances may change, but national teams are built on more than paperwork. Coaches and federations also need players who are fully invested in the project.
For Madagascar, the controversy risks overshadowing a significant qualifying campaign. The country’s emergence on the African stage has increased attention, and every squad decision now carries greater scrutiny.
The immediate priority is the matches with Nigeria and Tanzania. Madagascar must now ensure the goalkeeper change becomes a footnote rather than a distraction, particularly with limited preparation time.
Whether the Boucher episode ends here or returns in a future international window remains unclear. For now, the next fixtures will test both Madagascar’s depth in goal and its ability to keep an internal selection dispute away from the pitch.