BFA out of bloc voting as Ahmad seeks re-election
Mqondisi Dube | Friday October 30, 2020 14:33
The former Malagasy politician yesterday confirmed he would seek a second term and had already received support from 46 out of the 54 CAF members.
However, Botswana had opted to stay out of the bloc voting, after most COSAFA members put their weight behind Ahmad. Algeria, Botswana, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe were the eight nations not included in the letter of support. But BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti’s missing signature in the letter does not mean the local association is against his candidature.
COSAFA president, Phillip Chiyangwa is Ahmad’s campaign manager, as he was four years ago. Ahmad brewed a shocker when he ousted long serving CAF president, Issa Hayatou.
BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo said there was not much to be read from the association’s absence from the letter of support.
“This does not mean anything. The BFA has not decided,” Mfolo said briefly yesterday. CAF goes to the polls in March, and Ahmad is expected to retain his position, despite a tenure that was marred by controversy.
Ahmad is still subject of a FIFA ethics committee inquiry, and if he has a case to answer, the March elections could be blown wide open.
The registration period closes on November 12, 2020 and thus far, Ahmad is the sole candidate. However, a bid from the Nigerian Football Association president is expected, although his chances would appear slim after Ahmad’s landslide endorsement.
At one stage, FIFA took over the running of the continental body’s affairs, amid allegations of maladministration and corruption.