By Osasu Obayiuwana, at the CAF Congress in Marrakech
March 9 – The 35th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), to be spread over two days, began on Saturday at the Palais De Congrais in Marrakech, Morocco.
Secure in the knowledge that he will be returned unopposed in Sunday’s presidential vote, Issa Hayatou (pictured), the incumbent, said his return to the North African country, where he ascended power a quarter-century ago, was a special moment.
“This general assembly is no ordinary one, because it would be 25 years since I was first elected to this position, in Casablanca, on the 10th of March, 1988,” he told the audience, which included FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini.
“African football has really been the showcase of Africa… We have established the credibility of African football in the world,” said Hayatou.
“It is not easy to find common ground in African football, due to the diverse interests within CAF, which has the largest number of members within FIFA.
“I’d like to thank those who have worked alongside me over the last few years, including members of the CAF executive committee and the various presidents of the national associations and federations across the continent.
“I’d also like to thank Sepp Blatter for being closely involved in African football development.”
Hayatou also stated that CAF is planning to review its disciplinary code.
Speeches were also made by Ali Fassi Fihri, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and Mohammed Ouzzine, the country’s sports minister, who praised Hayatou for his “excellent guidance of African football”.
Fihri said ensuring the successful organisation of the FIFA Club World Cup, over the next two years, as well as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals, has left them with a tremendous task, which they are determined to successfully execute.
Also addressing the assembly, FIFA president Sepp Blatter called on African football chieftains to devise measures to stem the exodus of its best playing talent to European club football.
“We should avoid the best African players leaving their countries for Europe…We must create professional leagues, to ensure African talent can thrive at home.”
“[But] if you take African players away from European football, something will definitely be missing… We must acknowledge the contribution that African football and African footballers have made to the world.”
Jacques Anouma, the Ivorian FIFA executive committee member, who, last Tuesday, lost his case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, challenging the CAF presidential eligibility rules that excluded him from Sunday’s contest, was conspicuously absent from the event.
Elections into the vacant CAF executive committee positions will take place on Sunday.
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