Sports
FIFA President Infantino affirms he’s neutral in coming CAF elections
The president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, has stated he is ready to work with whoever emerges winner in next month’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidential elections.
The 46-year-old football administrator played down the speculations from many quarters suggesting he’s strongly behind the opponent of the incumbent president, Ahmad Ahmad, who also supported his bid to become FIFA President last year.
But Infantino’s comments is coming after he attended a party on Thursday hosted by Chairman of the Council of Southern African Football Association (SAFA), which has endorsed the Madagascar FA chief Ahmad Ahmad – the contender of incumbent Caf president Issa Hayatou.
“It is up to the Caf members to elect their own president,” said Infantino.
“It is not up to the Fifa president to say anything about that.
“Whatever the Caf members decide will be the right decision and I will support whatever decision is taken.”
Read Also: CAF Elections: Anjorin fires Pinnick, calls him ‘small boy’ in African football
COSAFA chairman, Phillip Chiyangwa, who is also the chief of the Zimbabwe Football Association, held the event in Harare to celebrate his birthday.
He also invited other African FA chairmen from outside the Cosafa region, including Nigeria’s FA president, Amaju Pinnick.
But CAF, in a letter sent on behalf of Hayatou before the meeting took place, accused Chiyangwa of “trying to destabilise” the continent’s governing body and warned he could face sanctions.
But Hayatou is attempting to win an eighth term in office in the elections on in March, as he has been serving in that capacity since 1988.
Meanwhile, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, has openly thrown his support for Ahmad Ahmad, quoted to have said, “People want change and a new generation of leadership. I join those advocating for the change.”
Pinnick is also vying for a position in the Executive Committee of the continent’s highest football body, for which he will have to defeat in votes, the president of Benin Republic FA, Moucharafou Anjorin, come March 16.
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