By Andrew Warshaw
December 19 – Danny Jordaan, the public face of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and head of the country’s national association (SAFA) has missed out on the same role with the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) after withdrawing from presidential elections before a vote was cast.
In his place, Zimbabwe property mogul and FA boss Phillip Chiyangwa was elected unopposed on Saturday, the latest setback in Jordaan’s eventful career as a global football administrator.
Jordaan, who held a variety of roles, is a cult figure in South Africa and was widely believed to have been a strong favourite to succeed the Seychelles’ Suketu Patel, who has been COSAFA president for a decade. But he pulled out hours before the ballot, sensing defeat – the second time in five years he has lost out in a bid to run the 14-strong regional body. Patel also withdrew having served two terms.
Chiyangwa‚ who used to be a boxing promoter before he turned his attention to football‚ has been the Zimbabwe FA president for a year and told local media he would explore ways to reduce the huge financial gap between the European leagues and those on the African continent.
But his election will raise eyebrows throughout both the African Continent and world football as a whole given the Zimbabwe federation’s massive debts, poor player welfare and highly questionable match-fixing record.
Yet Chiyangwa says he has already set his sights on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.
“This is made more special because this is the first time that it has happened for Zimbabwe,” he was quoted as saying. “It means we are the ones who are now running football in southern Africa, which is very good for us. This is just the beginning because from COSAFA, we are going to take over at CAF and from CAF, we are going to FIFA.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1715007323labto1715007323ofdlr1715007323owedi1715007323sni@w1715007323ahsra1715007323w.wer1715007323dna1715007323