With just over a week until the next president of the African Football Confederation (CAF) is elected, FIFA has asked three candidates to back South Africa’s Patrice Motsepe, a source close to one of the four candidates told AFP.
With just a week to the Africa Football Confederation (CAF) presidential election, FIFA has moved to back South Africa’s Patrice Motsepe by asking three candidates to back him.
The world football body is now keenly interested in Africa, a source close to one of the four candidates told AFP. The source said the likes of Augustin Senghor (Senegal) and Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania) are now open to accepting the proposal of the International Football Federation and becoming vice-presidents themselves, while Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast could be offered a role as advisor to Motsepe (if he wins).
FIFA want a better image in the sporting world so they can attract investors and sponsors. And Motsepe is one of few suitable personalities who is not implicated by the “former presidency”
“The idea is to put together the four candidates, under the guidance of Morocco, so that they can start to agree for a common program, and they come out to nominate only one candidate”, the source said.
Current CAF President Ahmad Ahmad has been given a five-year suspension by the world football governing body, FIFA. Although he’s appealing the suspension even if the suspension is overruled by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), he may not seek re-election as the president of CAF.
What the intervention of FIFA will bring is that, if Augustin Senghor and Ahmed Yahya give in, according to a corroborating source, then Jacques Anouma could contest against Patrice Motsepe.
The CAF Presidential election will hold in Rabat, Morocco on March 12.