Ahmed Ahmed of Madagascar is the new CAF president
Ahmad has been elected CAF President for a four year term in what was the highpoint of the 39th CAF Ordinary General Assembly held on Thursday, 16 March 2017 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Malagasy beat incumbent Issa Hayatou by 34 votes to 20, to assume leadership of the continent’s soccer governing body till 2021. Ahmad thus becomes sixth president and the first from Southern Africa to head CAF since its creation in 1957 after the likes of Abdelaziz Salem (Egypt), Mohamed Abdelaziz Mostafa (Egypt), Mohamed Abdel Halim (Sudan), Ydnekatchew Tessema (Ethiopia) and Hayatou (Cameroon).
In his acceptance speech, Ahmed was full of praise for the support of delegates for their confidence and giving him the mandate to rule African football.
“I want to thank this General Assembly who elected me as President. Also, thanks to my friends who worked very hard to get here,” said Ahmad, who will automatically serve as a FIFA Vice President by virtue of his position as head of the continental body.
He also paid glowing tribute to his predecessor, Hayatou, who headed the body since 1988 and was seeking an eighth term at the helm.
“Let me also pay tribute to our president Issa Hayatou, and thank him for the good job he has done for African football.
“Henceforth, our CAF is starting a new era of history and we must all come together to take African football to enviable heights,” added an elated Ahmad, also president of the Malagasy Football Federation.
On his part, Hayatou expressed gratitude the General Assembly for the opportunity to serve African football for nearly three decades in various capacities of which 29-years was as President.
“I’m very grateful to serve African football for all these years. I had a lot of good memories of African football. I congratulate the newly elected president and want to emphasize that my doors are always open to him whenever needed towards development of football on ther continent,” said Hayatou.
Source: otecfmghana.com
