Following the recent events taking place at the Confederation of African football just over 853 days when Ahmad Ahmad took over Issa Hayatou, CAF has called for a general assembly on Wednesday, July 17 2019, for voting of key decisions; including the future of Ahmad and the coming in of FIFA commissioner, Fatma Samoura
In his latest outing on BBC focus on Africa the Guinea-Bissau FA boss, Manuel Nascimento made his position known on the emergency general assembly to be held in Egypt Wednesday : “nobody wants Fatma to come, most of the FA presidents in CAF reject the idea. What I heard is that most of us, even me, wouldn’t want Fatma to come”.
When asked on what happens if CAF is to be ruled by the FIFA bureau in Switzerland, Nascimento was visibly not comfortable and answered with a little rage – ” If that happens, I would just leave football. We need a reform in CAF. However – whatever happens, the reforms should be done in CAF. But Ahmad should leave now. For the sake of Africa, Ahmad should leave”.
Origin of the Story:
A proposal was made by FIFA on June 20th 2019, that FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura will be sent to CAF as a FIFA commissioner for a 6 months period from August 2019, to January 2020 to help in providing lasting solutions to the recent crisis at CAF, the decision to or not to accept this is one of the main issues in Wednesday’s General Assembly.
As reported by kick442.com on the 6th of June 2019, the Malagasy was arrested at the Berri Hotel in Paris where he went to attend the FIFA Congress. The CAF boss was questioned on a Puma deal allegedly left in favour of another company, the decision to replay the CAF champions league after crowning Esperance de Tunis champions, together with other scandals related to the mother body of football in Africa has brought CAF to this position.
Ahmad Ahmad is the 7th president in the history of CAF. He took over from Issa Hayatou who had been there for 29 years 6 days not without problems too. If a dramatic decision is taken in the general assembly Wednesday , then, Ahmad would be the second shortest spell at the CAF helm only behind inaugural leader, Abdel Aziz Salem (1 year) from 1957/1958. Another possible scenario could be the departure of Amaju Pinnick who is Ahmad Ahmad’s vice president in a very tense working atmosphere between the two.
Ahmad’s quest to change African Football has been met by serious resistance within and without the Confederation but the visionary Madagalsy hasn’t been perturbed by these challenges.
Kick442.com looks to bring to you all updates on the general assembly with her special envoy to Egypt.
GIOVANNI WANNEH.
