By Andrew Warshaw
September 29 – Following the stunning abandonment of the Asian Football Confederation’s extraordinary congress in Goa, sparked by FIFA’s ban of Qatari Saoud Al-Mohannadi from standing for election to join its new ruling council because of an ongoing ethics investigation, attention has switched to Africa where another candidate has suddenly withdrawn from that region’s Council election being held today.
CAF first vice-president Suketu Patel from the Seychelles mysteriously pulled out at the 11th hour from the race for the two extra African places on the Council leaving five candidates fighting it out at CAF’s Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo.
According to the BBC, no reasons have been given for Patel’s withdrawal, which follows that of South Sudan Football Association president Chabur Goc Alei who pulled out last week.
Interestingly, Goc was one of a handful of African voters to publicly support Gianni Infantino at last February’s FIFA presidential election. South Sudan is reported to have hosted Infantino in February during his campaign at a time when the CAF leadership was urging its members to vote for Asian football leader Sheikh Salman of Bahrain. Infantino then made South Sudan the first member federation he visited as president.
The latest withdrawal leaves CAF’s second vice-president Almamy Kabele Camara of Guinea as the most senior figure in the race and among the favourites along with fellow CAF executive committee member Kwesi Nyantakyi, the Ghana Football Association president.
The other three candidates are Ahmad from Madagascar, who uses just a single name, Hamidou Djibrilla of Niger and Senegal Football Association chef Augustin Senghor.
The two new African members will hold their seats only until March 17 next year, when they face re-election at the next CAF Congress, which is being held in Addis Ababa.
Today’s summit is also expected to pass a motion from the Djibouti federation that anyone can stand for election as CAF president as long as they are supported by at least five member associations. Until now, candidates have been restricted to members of CAF’s 15-man executive committee.
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