In a month, the presidents of federations will vote for the new boss of CAF. FIFA is counting on two candidates, who could allow it to retain its influence on the African body.
Less than a month before the election which will appoint the president of the African Football Confederation (CAF), indecision is in order. Regarding the fate reserved for Ahmad Ahmad first of all. FIFA, which has long supported the president of CAF, must indeed decide whether or not the Malagasy will be eligible on March 12, at the request of the CAF executive committee. The former Malagasy minister also hopes for a favorable outcome from the Administrative Court of Sport (TAS), which will rule on March 2. But by then, he might just be let loose by Infantino.
Infantino at the maneuver
Because Italo-Switzerland has set its sights on two other candidates. At Le Monde newspaper, a president of a West African federation explains that, "with Motsepe or Yahya at the head of CAF, FIFA would undoubtedly exercise a stronger hold". The reason is simple, continues the leader: Motsepe, businessman and club president, "could not devote 100% of his time to the instance, which would favor the influence of Infantino". As for Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya, there is no doubt that he would serve the interests of FIFA.
A godsend for the Ivorian Jacques Anouma and the Senegalese Augustin Senghor. The two men, recognized for their work in their respective countries, appear to be the two candidates who could release CAF from FIFA supervision. But to do this, one of them would have to emerge victorious in the March 12 ballot. And there, nothing is won. As stated by the president of the federation, "we must expect maneuvers (on the part of FIFA), such as trying to direct the votes through promises of subsidies for development programs".
Takeover or release?
In other words, Infantino will promise to release funds for the realization of projects in different countries. Useful in this period of scarcity marked by a pandemic which has hurt the portfolios of national federations. Above all, the Italian-Swiss president of FIFA knows the method: he had already used it in 2017 to elect Ahmad Ahmad and remove Issa Hayatou from CAF. Infantino had little taste at the time of the choice of the ex-president of CAF, who had not given him his vote during the election of the presidency of FIFA.
Anyway, the ballot of March 12 will be that of the release of CAF in the event of the election of Senghor or Anouma. If the choice of federations is Yahya or Motsepe, there is no doubt that Infantino's proposals will find an echo within the African Football Confederation, like that of a CAN every four years.
And that, the Senegalese candidate does not want. For him, CAF and FIFA “are condemned to work together”. But, continues Senghor, “FIFA needs a strong CAF”. For observers, to avoid “the takeover bid which threatens it”, CAF must make the right choice. That of independence.