Thursday, March 28, 2024

New CAF executive: Challenges before Ahmad, Pinnick, others

…Hayatou overstayed in office – Yusuf

Last week, a new chapter was opened in the history of Confederation of African Football, following the replacement of Dr Issa Hayatou, the immediate past President of CAF with Ahmad Ahmad from Madagascar in a CAF election in Ethiopia.

The winds of change also saw Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick picking a slot in the executive committee of the continental body.

Although, the world had envisaged it, and had seen the hand writing on the wall before the epic elections, nobody could believe that a man who ruled African football for 29 years could be defeated easily by the little-known football administrator from the Southern African region.

Ahmad and Pinnick should forget about the polls and start work now to re-position the continent’s football. They should forget about the election formalities and try to fulfill all their promises

After the victory, pundits praised the efforts made by the new executive and gave them the mandate to transform the fortunes of African football from the grassroots.

Before now, Ahmad had called for a more transparency in CAF. He had questioned the secret financial deals in the continental football body.

He had raised serious allegation against the past CAF executive, especially those who were fingered in the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal.

And Hayatou had been battling with an impending court case of a criminal prosecution. The Egyptian Competition Authority had recommended that he and his SecretaryGeneral be referred to court over a marketing and television rights deal worth $1 billion.

CAF had said that the allegations that it renewed a deal with French company Lagardere Sports, without allowing competing bids from others were ‘unsubstantiated’ and baseless.

Hayatou was one of the few survivors of the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal. The 2015 shenanigans left his reputation marred and in danger.

In 2015, United States of America federal prosecutors disclosed cases of corruption by officials and associates connected with FIFA and several arrests were made, in connection with the alleged use of bribery, fraud and money laundering to corrupt the issuing of media and marketing rights for FIFA games.

In October 2015, Sepp Blatter and other top FIFA officials were suspended amid the investigation, and in December the independent FIFA Ethics Committee ejected Blatter from office and banned him from taking part in any FIFA-related activities in the next eight years.

On February 24, 2016, a FIFA Appeals Committee upheld the suspension, but reduced the ban from eight years to six.

Hayatou served as the acting president of FIFA until an extraordinary FIFA congress was held in late February, electing Gianni Infantino as the 9th president of FIFA.

Pinnick Hayatou Immediately Infantino took over the leadership of the global football moderator, FIFA, he initiated a move to clean the system, with plans to do away with all the old wines in old bottles, and Hayatou became a major target.

One of the challenges before the new CAF executive is the restoration of hope and dignity to the organization; and that must start in earnest, according to a former Secretary-General of the defunct Nigeria Football Association, Dr Tijani Yusuf.

“Firstly, I will like to congratulate the new CAF board for its relentless effort to give the body a new identity, with the composition of fresh brains to move African football to the next level. The new executive has huge work to do.

They need to make the continent football more dynamic and strong. At least, Hayatou’s 29-year reign brought FIFA World Cup to Africa in 2010 for the first time, and during his tenure, an African country, Nigeria, was ranked fifth in the world.

The new exco can give Europe a run for their money. African football could rise above its present status with the support of FIFA and international companies interested in development of the game,” Dr Yusuf told The Point.

The former scribe of the defunct NFF however blamed Hayatou for not quitting the stage when the ovation was loudest.

“Hayatou has done a lot for African football and he should be respected, but I did not like the way he lost that election.

The old man would have resigned before the election. He would have left the stage honourably after spending seven terms. He wanted to use the aborted eight term in office to equal Joseph Blatter’s tenure in FIFA. What does he really want after seven good terms, during which he even acted as FIFA President for some months. Hayatou messed up.

He should not have sought for re-election,” he said. On NFF President, Pinnick, he advised him not to be carried away with the position and get himself abreast of the modern trend in the global affair of running of international football in the way that Nigeria will immensely benefit from his new status.

“In the past, Nigerians had occupied positions in CAF and whatever they contributed either good or bad, are still on record, we hope that Pinnick will use the position to influence positive things into Nigerian football, as a Nigerian I am excited that we are part of Africa’s football politics,” he said.

Former CAF and FIFA executive, Dr Amos Adamu, also urged the new executive to be up and doing and go straight into the business of taking African football to new heights.

“Ahmad and Pinnick should forget about the polls and start work now to re-position the continent’s football.

They should forget about the election formalities and try to fulfill all their promises. They should live up to their ratings,” he said.

Speaking from experience, Dr Adamu also advised Pinnick to stay glued to the principles he believes in and be wise enough to make his tenure a worthwhile to the glory of Nigerian football.

Super Falcons’ attacking midfielder, Azizat Oshoala, congratulated Ahmad for braving all odds to displace Hayatou as CAF President.

She also congratulated NFF President, Pinnick, for proving doubters wrong about his credentials in football, to become a player in African and global football politics. She hopes the new CAF exco will shift attention to female football and make it more vibrant by investing more in the game.

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