Following his election as the new man to drive the seat of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Ahmad Ahmad said his first step would be a thorough managerial and financial audit of the Cairo-based organisation. To develop the African game to its ultimate potential, he wants to open talks with a range of personnel – ‘legends, stars, coaches, referees’ etc. – boost women’s and youth football as well as, among other measures, stop the talent drain of Africans overseas.
Ahmad becomes sixth president and the first from Southern Africa to head CAF since its establishment in 1957 after the likes of Abdelaziz Salem (Egypt), Mohamed Abdelaziz Mostafa (Egypt), Mohamed Abdel Halim (Sudan), Ydnekatchew Tessema (Ethiopia) and Hayatou (Cameroon).
In his acceptance speech, Ahmed was full of praise for the support of delegates for their confidence and giving him the mandate to rule African football. “I want to thank this General Assembly who elected me as President. Also, thanks to my friends who worked very hard to get here,” said Ahmad, who will automatically serve as a FIFA vice president by virtue of his position as head of the continental body.
Ahmad vowed to bring improved governance, greater transparency and to develop African football from the grassroots up.
“Henceforth, our CAF is starting a new era of history and we must all come together to take African football to enviable heights,” said Ahmad, also president of the Malagasy Football Federation.
“The first thing is reform of administration, good governance, financial transparency and to redistribute the CAF money – not only keep it in the office, as CAF revealed on recently that its finances are healthy – with $108m in cash and $131m in equity.
Ahmad also wants to run a transparent organization by making all its financial transactions public
“All contracts signed by CAF will be officially published and their amounts communicated by media releases,’ his manifesto boldly pledged. ‘CAF will be fully transparent with regards to finances, management and its competitions. Nothing will be hidden or covered during my mandate.”
With that in mind, CAF eight-year deal signed with energy company Total in 2016 worth about $190m.
Having declared that long-term contracts should be ‘banished,’ could CAF’s agency deal with Lagardere – worth a whopping $1billion to the African football body, which runs from 2017-2028 – be at risk? “I can’t talk about that because I’ve never seen the contract. I have to look at all of this,” Ahmad said. “My duty is to protect the interest of CAF.”
Crucially, with half a dozen of Ahmad’s supporters elected onto a new-look CAF Exco in place of Hayatou’s men, the Malagasy has the backing to push through his reforms.
Just like the latter’s speech which swayed many voters in FIFA’s presidential elections of February 2016, Ahmad spoke in various languages while also promising more cash to member associations as he addressed delegates before the vote.
“It was a statement full of promises,” said Lesotho’s Khiba Mohoanyane.
Perhaps fittingly, the last man to vote was Zimbabwe FA boss Chiyangwa , who is also president of southern African football region Cosafa.
Former Super Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, have tasked the new president to reform CAF.
“I congratulate him. I believe he will come in with new ideas. The only thing that is constant in this life is change and the situation of African football has been expecting some changes,” said Onigbinde.
“There should be more emphasis on development because in FIFA regulations under objectives, the opening sentence reads – to improve the game of football constantly. Competition is supposed to be a by-product, it should be used to assess the level of development so if you’re concentrating on competition without development, you are wasting your time, Onigbinde warned.
It would be recalled that Ahmad while on a courtesy visit to Nigeria before he was elected as CAF president promised rapid development of African football and now the ball is on his court to bring about the much-anticipated reforms in African football he promised.
Anthony Nlebem & Adebowale Ismail
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