January 13 – Is Issa Hayatou’s long, autocratic and often controversial reign as head of African football at last about to be put to the test?
Until now, the all-powerful Cameroonian has managed to devise ways of staying in power but Ahmad Ahmad (sic), head of Madagascar’s FA, says he will challenge the 70-year-old Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruler, who briefly ran FIFA after the fall of Sepp Blatter, in March’s presidential elections.
Hayatou, who has reigned unopposed since 1988, is seeking a staggering eighth term. At one point he hinted the current one would be his last but in 2015, CAF contentiously voted to change their statutes which previously stopped officials serving past the age of 70.
Ahmad has told the BBC that his candidacy has been accepted by CAF, although this has yet to be confirmed. The elections will take place in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa where the organisation celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Whoever wins the election will be limited to a maximum of three terms while only members of CAF’s 15-man executive committee can contest the presidential election.
Ahmad’s candidature could face severe scrutiny, however, following allegations back in 2014 that someone of his name was linked to financial wrongdoing in his association with banned former Asian football chief Mohammed bin Hammam. It has never been proven that the Madagascar official was that person.
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