By Andrew Warshaw
December 9 – South Africa’s World Cup organiser Danny Jordaan dramatically pulled out of the race to lead the sport in Southern Africa leaving Suketu Patel of the Seychelles to be re-elected for a second term.
Jordaan, vice-president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), withdrew his bid to become President of the 14-nation Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) as the only challenger.
It had been earlier suggested that Jordaan would only get four votes at the election in Botswana but he insists he would garnered enough votes to oust Patel at the helm of the region.
“The people came to me saying I should not have pulled out,” Jordaan said.
“I had 10 people who had promised to vote [for me].”
But, according to SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani those promises were not solid enough and the bid team and wanted to avoid embarrassment.
“Voting is a very private matter and while we had done our work and many promises [or votes] were made, but were they real?,” he said.
“We felt it would be best if we pulled out in order to maintain our dignity.
“It was a case of gut-feel, we knew we still had to rely on people being honest and keeping their promises.
“But when we went in there we were not sure this was the case.”
As Jordaan withdrew, Barry Rukoro, general secretary of the Namibian FA, did not mince his words as to why the public face of last year’s World Cup would have been beaten.
“Danny threw our vote back at us a while ago when he made lots of promises to help us secure sponsorships for development projects but he never fulfilled them,” Rukoro said.
“We just cannot trust him.
“He made too many promises to too many people which he has not kept.
“He did well to pull out and save himself embarrassment.
“He would have lost 13-1 if it went to the vote.”
Rukoro said the decision to give Patel (pictured) a second term was in the region’s best interest.
“He has really done a good job for COSAFA,” he said.
“The national associations are now also taking responsibility for the right to host events. We’re moving in the right direction and Patel is steering us there.”
Today’s outcome marked marked another setback for one of African football’s most recognisable figures who appears unable to secure another high-profile position in the game.
Earlier this year Jordaan failed to secure a place on FIFA’s Executive Committee when he was controversially brushed aside in Confederation of African Football elections amid allegations of dirty tricks.
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