Exit Hayatou, enter Ahmad for CAF presidency
The 29 year football reign of Issa Hayatou as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) came to an end on Thursday in the Ethiopian Capital of Addis Ababa when 34 delegates voted for Madagascar’s Ahmad while 20 of the 54 votes in the election, still trusted Hayatou.
The result means Hayatou loses his position in the FIFA ruling council and a change in leadership for the first time since Cameroonian Hayatou took charge in 1988.
Ahmad, who appeared very emotional, becomes only the seventh Caf president in the body’s 60-year history.
The 57-year-old, who goes by a single name, told BBC Sport : “I can’t talk at this time. Only one thing – I thank God, I thank my team.
“We worked hard but we won. That was the first step. The second step is to develop African football.
“Some days I thought I would win – today I didn’t (think I would win).”
He also said he would work hard to unify different football federations on the African continent.
Speaking on BBC’s Focus on Africa, African Soccer Analyst Mimi Fawaz said she was not surprised that Ahmad had won the polls.
“I know Mr Ahmad as a humble and dedicated person. I am not surprised that he has won. People certainly wanted a change and I hope Mr Ahmad will bring the change that Africans want in football governance,” said Fawaz.
At the same event, the island of Zanzibar, which is part of Tanzania but has its own national football team, was officially welcomed into CAF; allowing it to take part in all continental football tournaments.
Malawians will be eagerly waiting to see how Malawi as a footballing nation will benefit from Ahmad’s tenure in office at CAF.
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