CAF Appoints SA Billionaire Patrice Motsepe as New President

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has elected South African billionaire, Mr Patrice Motsepe, as its new president, serving as the replacement for outgoing Malagasy politician, Mr Ahmad Ahmad, whose tenure was marred by allegations of corruption.

The South African, who is Africa’s ninth richest person, was confirmed as the regional football governing body president during the organisation’s 43rd Ordinary General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco on Friday.

Mr Motsepe, who is the owner of South African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns, was elected unopposed to replace outgoing Ahmad Ahmad, whose three-year reign promised much but was ultimately mottled by accusations of nepotism, corruption, and embezzlement.

He was suspended in November after being found guilty of breaching four separate articles of FIFA’s ethics code and banned from all football-related activity for five years.

Speaking on the election, President of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Mr Gianni Infantino, gave the backing to the new administration saying, “I want to wish all the very best for the next four years, to the new leading team of CAF, of African football, and to Patrice Motsepe, to all those who have been involved, to Augustin, Ahmed, Jacques, and everyone. I want to assure you that FIFA is not at your side. FIFA is together with you.”

Referring to the future of African football, the FIFA President said: “I have already said it, and I say it again. We must stop saying that it is necessary to develop African football. It is about projecting it to the summit of world football.

“The time for talking has stopped. We must move on, and we must move on as a team: as a CAF team and a FIFA team that also includes all the confederations and associations from all over the world. You are CAF. You are FIFA.”

“The FIFA President is proud to be part of your team to create a success story for African football all over the world. With this in mind, I wish you a great Congress. I wish you a wonderful celebration of unity.

“You can always count on me. You can always count on us,” he added.