The gentle yet cunning man; again proved that everything is possible, and with the right knots and strings pulled, one can attain unprecedented success.

Who is Ahmad Ahmad?

The new CAF President, born and raised in Madagascar is a football person. He had a quiet footballing career and an even muter coaching career. He never quite made it to a big club or top tier level as a player or a coach.

He moved on to the administration level and became the Chairman/President of the Malagasy Football Association. Ahmad surprised the football world when he announced his intention of challenging Hayatou, a man who had reigned in that top job for nearly three decades, specifically Twenty-Nine years (29).

The unsung hero of Hayatou’s down fall: Philip Chiyangwa:

Much credit must be given to Phillip Chiyangwa, Campaign Manager of Ahmad Ahmad, and head of Zimbabwe’s FA. He was very instrumental in getting members of Cosafa to back Ahmad. That was the turning point.

Secondly, he convinced new FIFA President Gianni Infantino to strategically visit Accra and other influential football cities in Africa to sell out the need to oust Hayatou this time around.

That was certainly music in Infantino’s ears because he is also on a campaign to break all Blatters strong hold. Infantino knows how powerful Hayatou is; and he will only be able to carry out his proposed projects if a big bloc like Africa is behind him.

The visit to Accra particularly was seen by insiders as a move to shore up the plan to remove Hayatou from office despite several denials by Infantino that he was not meddling with CAF politics, his presence in Accra showed that he was key in the plans.

Issa Hayatou sensed his ending with the visit of Infantino and his speech some few hours before the elections confirmed he knew there were superior forces working to bring a long era of leadership to an end. But there was little he could do about it.

Below is the statement he delivered at the congress:

“African Football decision must be left for Africans “this was what Hayatou said when he delivered a speech few minutes to the voting at the CAF congress.
Infantino was present at the birthday celebration of Phillip Chiyangwa, where he met many African FA heads who were in support of Ahmad Ahmad mainly because Philip Chiyangwa had sold out the idea of the need for a change now.

Issa Hayatou’s biggest mistake:

Hayatou’s decision to ditch Kwesi Nyantakyi and back Tanzania’s Leodegar Tenga in the FIFA Council looked to have backfired, and despite a last minute attempt to correct the mistake, it was too little too late.

Several anti-Hayatou outspoken FA leaders like Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick, Musa Bility and Isha Johansen all paid unannounced visits to Ghana’s FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi who had jumped camp from Hayatou to Ahmad Ahmad after finding out that Hayatou was throwing his weight behind Leodegar Tenga.

DR Congo FA boss, Constant Omari, a former Hayatou henchman, who was booted out for his support for Infantino, was also spotted in Accra.
This shows that they were central to the campaign and strategy to oust Hayatou and the form and guide of it was nailed when some of them departed straight from Accra to Ethiopia for the election.

The plan looks to have worked to perfection as all the people in the Accra group won their elections with most thoroughly thrashing Hayatou’s loyalists including Ahmad’s famous victory over the big man.

Issa Hayatou not entirely the devil he has been made:

Hayatou though vilified by many on the continent will leave office with some achievements:

Mainly he was able to get more World Cup slot for Africa; it was in his time that the slots increased from 2 to 5.

South Africa hosted the World Cup under his reign, the first time an African country had been given the opportunity. The AFCON was expanded to 16 countries.

Lowest Point:

His lowest point was when he was reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee for taking of money unethically from a marketing firm. That was an all-time low and broke his credibility beyond repair.

Ahmad Ahmad’s Change:

“I am the only one who could dare present a candidacy for the change. And I am vying to bring this change.”

These were the words of Ahmad before the election. We live to see the change he brings to African Football.

Previous CAF Presidents:

The story of African football’s leadership started with Egyptian Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem in the early 70’s.

His tenure though very beautiful lasted just a year. He was in office from 1957-1958.

Then came tough-talking Abdel Aziz Moustafa, also from Egypt. He will forever be remembered for kick-starting the long tenure in office, he lasted a decade, from 1958-1968.

Abdel Halim Muhammad from Sudan followed, and was in office from 1968-1972, and was succeeded by Yidnekatchew Tessema in 1972-1987 from Ethiopia.

Tessema’s 15-year tenure was the longest ever the Confederation of African football had witnessed at that time.

Abdel Halim Muhammad (Sudan) took charge from 1987-1988 before the grand arrival of Issa Hayatou (Cameroon) the longest serving CAF President of 29 years.
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By: Rahman Osman/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Email: [email protected]

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His victory ends Mr. Hayatou’s 29-year reign as president of the Confederation of African Football.

Ahmad Ahmad polled 34 votes, against Issa Hayatou’s 20 votes.

Issa Hayatou, who has been in office since 1988 was hoping to remain in office for his eighth term.

The departure of Hayatou is a huge change for African football and the 70-year-old will also lose his Fifa position and his place on the ruling council of world football’s governing body.

Ahmad told BBC Sport after his victory that: “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). When you try to do something, you mean that you can do it. If I can’t do it, I never stand. This is sweet victory. When you work hard for years and months and you succeed, that is great.”

Ahmed has said that his first task will be to introduce a new code of ethics that will effectively check stakeholders in football on the continent.

He has also promised to modernise the body and make it more transparent.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ahmad Ahmad defeats Issa Hayatou in CAF presidential elections appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Egypt’s general prosecution has referred Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou to the country’s Economic Court on charges of violating local anti-monopoly rules.

CAF Secretary General Hicham El Amrani has also been charged.

A lawyer representing both parties attended a hearing on Monday.

With CAF based in Cairo, Egyptian authorities maintain it is governed by local laws.

The African football body firmly rejects accusations it committed any wrongdoing when signing a multi-million dollar deal with sports agency Lagardere in June 2015.

“CAF categorically asserts that all claims against it are groundless and without merit,” a statement read.

“CAF will vigorously defend its position, its right and reputation using all legal means available under international law.”

The Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) started to investigate the Lagardere deal in June 2016, prior to asserting – in January 2017 – that Caf had engaged in monopolistic practices that infringed local laws.

The deal gives Lagardere rights to a variety of African football competitions, including the flagship Africa Cup of Nations, from 2017 until 2028.

“As a result, the board voted in favour of (referring) Hayatou and El Amrani for criminal prosecution,” said the ECA in a statement dated 8 March.

Caf stresses that the allegations accusing it of selling rights without opening them for due tender are incorrect.

The organisation, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this week, maintains it did not sell any broadcasting rights to Lagardere – merely appointing the French company as its marketing and media agent instead.

Lagardere paid $1bn to CAF for the privilege and while it then undertakes responsibility for negotiating deals across the globe, “the rights remain vested at CAF” – says Caf Communications Director Junior Binyam.

The resurgence of the ECA’s interest comes at a critical time for Caf, which hosts its presidential elections on Thursday.

“The timing of the ECA’s media campaign underlines its attempt to disrupt and undermine CAF at the time of its presidential elections,” the CAF statement added.

“The referral of CAF’s president and its secretary general, in violation of all CAF’s constitutionally- and universally-protected rights of defence, only a few days before CAF’s presidential elections is meant to tarnish Hayatou’s image and exercise unfair external influence on the integrity of the whole electoral process,” added Binyam.

Hayatou is seeking an eighth term as he stands against his sole challenger, Ahmad, who goes by one name and who heads up Madagascar’s FA.

The African body also says it has not been given a chance to discuss the case with local authorities.

“In the ordinary course of any legal dispute under international norms, CAF would be given the opportunity to present its case to relevant authorities and have the right to be heard in accordance with due process,” says CAF.

“To date, the ECA and the Public Prosecutor, in quite remarkable and unprecedented fashion for regulatory bodies, have attempted to conduct a trial by media offering CAF no right of defence and serving it with no formal charges other than through the media.

“Indeed, the Public Prosecutor has referred its fait accompli case to the Egyptian Economic court following only a few days of investigations without any communication or engagement whatsoever with CAF.”

By contrast, ECA officials have often spoken to Egyptian media to air the organisation’s claims.

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