DEVELOPING

Ahmad Ahmad Emerges CAF President

Madagascan Ahmad Ahmad has been elected president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), ending the tenure of Issa Hayatou who spent 29 years in office.

Official results showed that Ahmad won the election in the Ethiopian capital by 34 votes to Hayatou’s 20.

Ahmad, 57, had a discreet playing and coaching career before he took the reins of the Madagascar football federation in 2003.

His rare and determined bid for “change” at the head of the CAF this year took many by surprise, and the incumbent was seen as unmovable.

“When you try to do something, you mean that you can do it,” Ahmad told reporters after the vote. “If I can’t do it, I never stand.”

Hayatou headed CAF since 1988 and is a senior vice president of FIFA. He has been credited with increasing the number of African teams at the World Cup and bringing in extra finance for the continent’s competitions.

Amaju Pinnick of Nigeria, a staunch supporter of Ahmad, won an executive seat.

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