By Akeem Oyetunji Mr Ahmad Ahmad, President of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, has defended the announcement that the World Soccer Governing Body, FIFA, would take over the running of African football in the interim.
Delivering his speech at the 41st CAF Ordinary Assembly in Cairo on Thursday, Ahmad said he actually requested for help from FIFA.
Ahmad admitted not having necessary expertise to run CAF hence, his resolve to seek help from FIFA President Infantino, who “responded positively to my call.”
His words, “Many of you, among us, have not understood the real meaning of my approach to FIFA.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the delegates, I have appealed to FIFA. This call is on my own initiative and I assume total responsibility. Faced with a situation that worsened step by step, I asked FIFA President Ginani Infantino to bring me an interim support.
“He is also a man who has suffered a lot of critics but who was re-elected just recently with some 98% of votes. He is a leader comforted by undeniable trust. I found in him, a sensitive man, who loves Africa.
“FIFA is the umbrella body of all Confederations; it is to FIFA that we must turn when faced with difficulties of such magnitude. President Gianni responded positively to my call.
“He allowed me to ask our sister Fatma Samoura, FIFA General Secretary, to agree to accompany us in the implementation phase of new structures and more generally to help CAF to continue the reforms that we started, as well as follow the investigations that FIFA’s Governance Committee would like to engage on the management of the Central Administration.
“Obviously, all these plans will have to be followed by a General CAF audit. I would like to further clarify my position in this collaboration with FIFA for which many nostalgic of a bygone era keep criticizing me.
“I keep myself rooted in a traditional African education which asks that when I encounter difficulties or problems I solve them within my own family and never outside. Is it abnormal for a President of a Confederation to ask for support? I think on the contrary, this is commendable act.
“I admit that in my capacity as President I do not have all the necessary expertise. I am and remain a politician who at all moments can appeal to anyone in his domain, likely to bring me the best resolutions, the best solutions.”
Read CAF President Ahmad’s full speech here: https://t.co/YTyqj0jpEp
