The last opponent still in the running against the South African Motsepe, for the election of the president of CAF, Ahmad Ahmad was dismissed by the CAS, which confirms the decision of FIFA.
The operation of Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, is going like clockwork. The choice of a single candidate for the presidency of the African Football Confederation (CAF) arrested, it remained to dismiss Ahmad Ahmad, president of the institution and entangled in numerous scandals. While he had decided to run for a second term, the accusation of embezzlement had cost the Malagasy dearly: last November, FIFA had decided to suspend him and, two months later, it was the turn of the CAF Governance Commission to prevent him from running.
January 29, twist: Ahmad Ahmad had returned to the race for his own succession. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had rendered a first verdict in his favor, after an appeal to protest his suspension. But the court had not yet ruled on CAF's decision to prevent him from running as a candidate. The CAS has finally delivered its verdict: the Malagasy will not be able to challenge Motsepe on March 12, leaving a highway to the South African, now the sole candidate for the presidency of CAF.
Two years of suspension and ineligibility
On March 8, the CAS confirmed the suspension of Ahmad Ahmad for two years and the fine of 50 Swiss francs for "acceptance and distribution of gifts and other benefits", "abuse of power" and " embezzlement ". At the end of November, the court ruled on the form, this time it condemns the Malagasy on the merits: Ahmad Ahmad has, says the CAS, violated the codes of ethics and ethics of FIFA. A predictable decision, which allows Gianni Infantino to calmly consider the future: his candidate, Patrice Motsepe, no longer has any obstacle facing him for the vote on March 000.
This is the logical conclusion of a battle between the Malagasy and FIFA, to which he was once close. The international football body has tried by all means to get rid of a CAF president who has become too cumbersome in recent months. But Ahmad Ahmad intended to play spoilers during the ballot. Gianni Infantino can rejoice: the last grain of sand in the cogs of his strategy is now removed. The FIFA president can calmly contemplate the election of South African Patrice Motsepe, which is the subject of a consensus between the various candidates who were running for this coveted post of president of the African Football Confederation.