Addis Ababa: Madagascar Football Association chief Ahmad has been elected Confederation of African Football president, ending Issa Hayatou’s 29-year reign.
Ahmad won 34 of the 54 votes in the election, which was held in Addis Ababa on Thursday.
The result means a change in leadership for the first time since Cameroonian Hayatou took charge in 1988.
Ahmad is a Madagascan government minister who uses a single name.
He is the third challenger Hayatou has faced since he became CAF president in 1988.
His campaign manager was flamboyant business tycoon, Philip Chiyangwa, who is Zimbabwe(ZIFA) and Southern Africa(COSAFA) football boss.
His victory is welcomed in Southern Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular.
Hayatou betrayed Zimbabwe when it was due to host 2000 Africa Cup of Nations.
He sanctioned the country and had the tournament hosted in west Africa siting poor preparation.
There was concern that he was going to be tough with the Southern countries if he was elected today.
Only two countries in central, east and southern Africa have hosted the cup of nations during his reign, South Africa and Angola.
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Earlier we reported…
Will a new person win elections to become Africa football president?
All eyes will be on the Confederation of African Football elective meeting in Ethiopia today, Thursday, where Madagascar Football Federation boss Ahmad Ahmad and incumbent CAF president Isaa Hayatou will engage in a fierce battle for the top job in African football.
Hayatou will face a rare challenge today as he stands for an eighth term at the helm of the African game when CAF hold their Congress in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Ahmad, a Madagascan government minister who uses a single name, will contest today’s vote and is only the third challenger Hayatou has faced since he became CAF president in 1988.
His campaign manager is business tycoon, Philip Chiyangwa, who is Zimbabwe(ZIFA) and Southern Africa(COSAFA) football boss.
The other opponents — Armando Machado of Angola in 2000 and Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana in 2004 — were roundly beaten but Ahmad is the first to have received expressions of support from among CAF member countries, including the grouping of 14 southern African countries (COSAFA) and Nigeria.
Hayatou and his opponent have waged a lively election campaign over the last two months, featuring an unusually high number of public pronouncements for a process that is traditionally played out behind closed doors.
The 70-year-old Hayatou, who also serves as FIFA’s senior vice president and is from Cameroon, promises continuity while Ahmad says it is time for change.
Voting results will be announced here..
