African football: a CAF General Assembly with Ahmad's shadow
On the eve of the 42nd CAF General Assembly.
© Courtesy of CAF
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
6 min
The African Football Confederation (CAF) held a General Assembly (GA) on December 11, 2020 marked by the absence of its president Ahmad, suspended for 5 years by FIFA, and the appointment of his ex-boss, Issa Hayatou, to the honorary post of “honorary president” of the institution.
A GA where the financial health of CAF was also discussed.
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The African Football Confederation (CAF) ended an exceptionally difficult year 2020, on December 11, on the occasion of its ordinary General Assembly (GA).
A GA necessarily marked by the absence of the boss of African football, Ahmad, recently suspended for five years by the Ethics Committee of the International Football Federation (FIFA).
A FIFA whose president Gianni Infantino - himself plagued by justice in Switzerland - delivered the inaugural speech in English.
“
I obviously cannot not mention President Ahmad,
” he began.
It is clear that from a personal point of view, what happened, like many of you, made me very sad.
We must respect the decisions of independent bodies
”.
Consensual opening remarks, followed by those of Constant Omari.
The first vice-president of CAF, appointed interim boss during this crisis, also mentioned the Malagasy, as a preamble to the GA.
"
There is the impediment of our brother and friend, President Ahmad elected and who has now engaged in a struggle for his dignity and to assert his rights
", underlined the Congolese, who refers to an appeal filed with the Tribunal sports referee against the sanction imposed by FIFA.
Ahmad's astonishing "speech"
Surprising situation, at the very moment when the African football family is reunited "virtually" (because of the Covid-19), the speech that Ahmad wanted to deliver before this same AG is circulating among journalists.
Ahmad criticizes the attitude of FIFA in a barely veiled manner.
She would not have accepted that an audit conducted by the Senegalese Fatma Samoura in Cairo ended in February by decision of the Executive Committee of CAF.
"
Some prefer to keep Africa small and fearful
," is it written in this draft speech.
Faced with our sovereign choice, our opponents decided to plunge the Confederation into an unimaginable political tumult
”.
Regarding his candidacy for a second term, Ahmad concludes: “
When 46 presidents of federations […] called on me to stand for a second term, we gave the image of a united Africa.
[…] However, your voices, your expertise, those of those who supported me and others, have been scorned.
Whether you are for or against my candidacy, through this interference of which we are victims, it is our democratic principle that has been denied.
"
The symbolic and honorary distinction of Issa Hayatou
The second irony of the day, the GA endorsed shortly after the appointment of Ahmad's former rival, Issa Hayatou, CAF boss from 1988 to 2017, to a post of honorary president.
A project which dates back several months, but whose validation comes at a strange time.
This honorary distinction will be the subject of a ceremony on January 15, 2021, before the kick off of the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2020) in Cameroon.
"
It is quite normal that CAF is grateful to him for all his work,
" explained Constant Omari, about his former mentor.
The Congolese wanted to be humble while his boat swayed: "
CAF has been subjected many times to criticism and unfair criticism but which we can understand because despite the efforts, despite the increased vigilance, who can say that the we can be exemplary or irreproachable.
"
A tense financial situation
The financial health of CAF, for example, is far from rosy.
About fifteen minutes were devoted to approving the accounts for the 2018-2019 financial year and that for the budget for the 2020-2021 period.
CAF would have generated 115 million dollars in revenue during the 2018-2019 fiscal year and would have spent barely less.
"
This led to end the year with an operating profit in balance, which generated an income of nearly one million dollars
", indicated the head of administration (Secretary General) of CAF, Abdelmounaïm Bah .
The provisional budget, on the other hand, forecasts a deficit of $ 13.6 million.
Which, given the global health context and the postponement of several competitions (including CAN 2021), is understandable.
But the president of the CAF Finance Commission, Fouzi Lekjaa, once again pointed to a deeper evil.
“
The finances of CAF are part of a structural deficit, reminded the boss of Moroccan football.
This is mainly due to the increase in charges and distributions.
When we decide to increase the distribution to each federation up to $ 200,000, when we decide to increase the prize moneys to clubs and federations during the various competitions, when we decide to increase the number of teams national participants in youth tournaments, obviously the impact is increasing
”.
Fouzi Lekjaa therefore invites us to find solutions to get CAF out of the rut: "
I think it is high time, and it is even becoming an imperative, to review our footballing process so that we can free up enough resources to allow CAF not only to survive […] but also to free up margins to invest in the development of football.
"
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